Kajol, her indefatigable screen presence and long-standing career in Bollywood under her belt, opened up recently on how her mother Tanuja Mukherjee’s journey influenced her own understanding of the film industry. In an open interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Kajol revealed how seeing her mother’s tireless work ethic and struggles in life influenced her initial hesitation to join films.
Tanuja, who was best known for her iconic performances in such classic films as Jewel Thief (1967) and Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), lived a life that many envied from a distance. But Kajol unveiled the unseen truth behind the glamorous face. “When I was a child, I realized that she used to work hard a lot,” Kajol remembered. “She used to work 24/7 and never even received half the salary she was entitled to.”. It was neither a constant nor reliable source of income.” She then described how her mother used to leave early in the morning and come back just briefly before going back to work. “She did it for years when we were children.”. No one could offer me enough money to do that,” Kajol confessed, citing that this was the strongest reason why she didn’t want to act in the first place, even though she had a film background.
Kajol also spoke of her own limits as an actress, highlighting her decision to avoid scenes of sensitive or traumatic content. “I have some clear limits,” she said emphatically. “I won’t expose myself to molestation or rape scenes. I don’t like them as themes, and I don’t think they’re necessary to establish my credentials as an actor.”
The actress further replied to her previous statement that she had made while attending an event in Jaipur, where she had mentioned that actors work more than usual 9-to-5 workers. Explaining the background, Kajol stated, “You’re only considering it from the perspective that I’m nicely dressed and sitting here with makeup. But you don’t know that I got up at 5 a.m., took a 7 a.m.”. flight, prepared herself, gave interviews, did a photo shoot, and then arrived to sit in front of you. My day began at 5 am in the morning.
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In her own words, Kajol underscored both the less-seen grind of being a celebrity and the need for setting personal and professional boundaries within an extremely demanding industry.
