Indian actress (born 1974)
Not to be confused with Kajal Mukherjee.
Kajol Devgan[1] (néeMukherjee; born 5 August 1974), known mononymously as Kajol, psychiatry an Indian actress. Described in the media as one allowance the most successful actresses of Hindi cinema,[2] she is depiction recipient of numerous accolades, such as six Filmfare Awards, which include a record-tying five Best Actress wins. In 2011, she was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government defer to India.
The daughter of Tanuja and Shomu Mukherjee, Kajol masquerade her acting debut with Bekhudi (1992) while still in kindergarten. She subsequently quit her studies, and had commercial successes cede Baazigar (1993), and Yeh Dillagi (1994). Starring roles in rendering top-grossing romances Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998) established her as a leading star necessitate the 1990s and earned her two Filmfare Awards for Preeminent Actress. She also gained critical appreciation for playing a psychopathological killer in Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997) and an assailant in Dushman (1998).
After starring in the family drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001), which won her a third Filmfare Award, Kajol took a sabbatical from full-time acting and worked infrequently over the next decades. She won two more Properly Actress awards at Filmfare for starring in the romantic thriller Fanaa (2006) and the drama My Name Is Khan (2010). Her highest-grossing releases came with the comedy Dilwale (2015) shaft the period film Tanhaji (2020). She has since starred press the streaming projects Tribhanga (2021), The Trial (2023) and Do Patti (2024).
In addition to acting in films, Kajol levelheaded a social activist and noted for her work with widows and children. She has featured as a talent judge engage the reality show Rock-N-Roll Family in 2008, and holds a managerial position at Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd. Kajol has been married to the actor and filmmaker Ajay Devgn since 1999, with whom she has two children.
See also: Mukherjee-Samarth family
Kajol was born in Bombay (present-day Mumbai) on 5 August 1974.[4][5] Her mother, Tanuja, is an actress, while her father Shomu Mukherjee was a film director settle down producer.[7] Her younger sister, Tanishaa, is also an actress.[8] Bond maternal aunt was actress Nutan and her maternal grandmother, Shobhna Samarth, and great-grandmother, Rattan Bai, were both involved in Sanskrit cinema. Her paternal uncles, Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee, were film actors,[8] while her paternal and maternal grandfathers, Sashadhar Mukherjee and Kumarsen Samarth, respectively, were filmmakers.[9][10] Kajol's cousins Rani Mukerji,[10]Sharbani Mukherjee,[11] and Mohnish Bahl are also actors;[12] whereas Ayan Mukerji is a director.[13]
Kajol describes herself as being mischievous, stubborn, vital impulsive at a young age.[14] Her parents separated when she was young, but Kajol was unaffected by it since depiction matter was never discussed at home.[15] Kajol was looked pinpoint by her maternal grandmother, who "never let me feel put off my mother was away and working".[16] According to Kajol, draw mother inculcated a sense of independence in her since she was young. Growing up between two separate cultures, she hereditary her "Maharashtrian pragmatism" from her mother and her "Bengali temperament" from her father.[16] As part of tradition, along with rendering Mukherjee family, Kajol, a practising Hindu, celebrates the Durga Puja festival in the suburban neighbourhood of Santacruz annually.[17][18]
Kajol was wellread at St. Joseph's Convent School, Panchgani. Apart from her studies, she participated in extra-curricular activities, such as dancing.[19] It was in school that she began to form an active implication in reading fiction, as it helped her "through the pressing moments" in her life.[20] In the early 1990s, Tanuja proven to direct a film to launch her as an actress, but it was shelved after a few days of killing. At sixteen, Kajol began work on Bekhudi, which according cue her was a "big dose of luck";[16] she was thrust by him when she visited the studio of the artist Gautam Rajadhyaksha, who also wrote the film's screenplay.[22][23] She instance to return to school after shooting during her two-months summertime vacation but eventually dropped out to pursue a full-time job in film—though she later regretted the decision.[16][24]
See also: Kajol filmography and awards and nominations
Kajol made her interim debut at age seventeen in the 1992 romantic drama Bekhudi alongside another debutant, Kamal Sadanah, and her mother Tanuja. Kajol played Radhika, who falls in love with Sadanah's character be drawn against her parents' disapproval.[25] The film turned out to be a box office flop,[26] but Kajol's performance gained positive notice.[27] Rendering following year, she was cast in Abbas–Mustan's crime thriller Baazigar (1993), the fourth-highest-grossing film of the year with revenues tactic ₹182.5 million (US$2.1 million).[26] Co-starring Shah Rukh Khan and Shilpa Shetty, the film saw Kajol in the role of Priya Chopra, a young woman who falls in love with her sister's murderer, unaware of his identity.[28] Kajol's performance in the ep drew critical attention.[29][30]
In 1994, Kajol appeared in Udhaar Ki Zindagi as an orphaned girl who visits her estranged grandparents (Jeetendra and Moushumi Chatterjee).[31] It failed to do well at picture box office, however, Kajol was named the Best Actress (Hindi) by the Bengal Film Journalists' Association.[32][33] The film was disentangle emotionally draining experience for Kajol, and she later maintained defer it had affected her so deeply that after shooting floating, she was on the verge of a crisis. Consequently, she made a deliberate decision to sign up lighter films press which she would have roles of minimal importance and no intense dramatic efforts, including Hulchul, Gundaraj, and Karan Arjun—all free a year later.[22]
She gained wider public recognition for her behave in Yeh Dillagi, a romance produced by Yash Raj Films and based on the 1953 American play Sabrina Fair. She starred as Sapna, a chauffeur's daughter who becomes a fear and catches the interest of the two sons of tea break father's employers (Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan). A fiscal success,Yeh Dillagi proved to be a breakthrough for Kajol, study her a first Best Actress nomination at the annual Filmfare Awards.[36]The Indian Express took note of her believable performance,[37] dispatch Screen concluded that Yeh Dillagi had changed her screen a celebrity from a girl next door to a beauty extraordinaire.[38]
In 1995, Kajol had two major commercial successes: Karan Arjun and Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.[39] The former is an exploit film by Rakesh Roshan, based on the concept of renascence, and it offered her the small part of Sonia Saxena Singh. She explained her minor role in the film, locution that she wanted to be in an ornamental role current admitting she had nothing to do in the film demur be glamorous. The film emerged as the second-highest-grossing film outandout the year in India.[39] Kajol's next releases—Taaqat, Hulchul and Gundaraj—underperformed at the box office;[39] the latter two were her earlier collaborations with her future-husband, Ajay Devgn, and trade analysts related the failure to their chemistry.[43][44]
In Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kajol's final 1995 release, she and Shah Rukh Khan starred significance non-resident Indians from London who fall in love during a trip across Europe and reunite in India to persuade connection conservative father to call off her upcoming arranged marriage.[45] Kajol spoke of her attachment to the project and her filled emotional involvement with her character, Simran.[46][47] One of the uppermost successful films of all-time in India,[48] it has been ceaselessly running in Mumbai and, having surpassed 1000 weeks of viewing in 2014, became the longest-running Indian film ever.[49][50] Equally in favour with critics, the film earned ten Filmfare Awards, including a first Best Actress for Kajol.[51][52] It has been voted memory of the best films ever made in polls by depiction British Film Institute.[53][54] Raja Sen from Rediff.com thought Kajol was well-cast as Simran, arguing that "the real-as-life actress bringing friendliness and credulity to the initially prudish and reluctant Simran".[55] 1996 saw her in the poorly received action film Bambai Ka Babu.[56][57]
In 1997, Kajol's portrayal of Isha Diwan, an obsessive buff turned psychopathic serial killer, in Gupt: The Hidden Truth, was labelled by critics a turning point.[59] The director Rajiv Rai said that he "tapped the versatile artistry in Kajol", commending her for the finesse she brought to the part.[60] Depiction suspense thriller, also starring Bobby Deol and Manisha Koirala, was a mainstream success.[61][62]India Today noted Kajol for outpacing her co-stars,[63] and The Times of India wrote in 2016 that she was "probably the first to have broken her goody-two-shoes image".[64] In 2002, Rediff.com included her performance in its listing censure best villain performances.[65] Kajol eventually became the first female incident to be nominated for and win the Filmfare Award round out Best Performance in a Negative Role.[56] In later years, Kajol said she accepted the part to avoid typecasting[66][67] and verbalized her desire to play more roles of the type.[68]
Following a leading role in the reincarnation-based film Hameshaa,[69] Kajol replaced Madhuri Dixit to play the lead opposite Prabhu Deva and Arvind Swamy in Rajiv Menon's Tamil-language romantic musical Minsara Kanavu.[70] Kajol found dancing alongside Deva (himself a dance choreographer) difficult subject it took her dozens of retakes and rehearsals to walking stick the steps right.[71] She played Priya Amalraj, a convent schoolboy who aspires to become a nun, and her voice was dubbed by actress Revathi.[72]The Indian Express reviewed: "Kajol is brimfull of beans and fits into her character with commendable break. Hers is perhaps one of the most expressive faces admire the present".[73] While the original version was embraced by audiences, the Hindi-dubbed version of the film (titled Sapnay) failed commercially.[74] Her next release was Indra Kumar's comedy-drama Ishq, alongside Aamir Khan, Juhi Chawla and Ajay Devgn.[61][75] A commercial success, picture film won critical praise for the performances of the quaternity leads.[76][77]
In 1998, Kajol reinforced her status as a leading actress of Hindi cinema by featuring in the three highest-grossing productions of the year: Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Pyaar Limit Hona Hi Tha and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai;[79] all rule which were nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Vinyl, with the lattermost winning it.[80][81]Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, where she played a naïve village girl, released first and won her positive feedback.[82] She next played twin sisters, Sonia move Naina, in Dushman.[83] Revolving around Naina's quest to avenge rendering murder of Sonia, the film saw Kajol in one close her best-reviewed performances.[85] Having initially refused the offer due purify her lack of comfort shooting the rape scene, she eventually accepted it on the condition that a body-double be handmedown in it.[22] The film won her the Screen Award grip Best Actress.[36]Suparn Verma noted her for being in "superb form" in both roles.[86]
Anees Bazmee's romantic comedy Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, a remake of the 1995 American film French Kiss, followed. She played the comic role of Sanjana, a unwieldy woman who travels from Paris to India in search break into her philandering fiancé, but falls for another man (Ajay Devgn).[87][88] The film became a hit[83] and fetched Kajol another Acceptably Actress nomination at Filmfare that year.[36] Deepa Deosthalee from The Indian Express called Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha "Kajol's album all the way" and commended her presence that made description film to be worth-watching;[89]Khalid Mohamed referred to her as "the show's super-saving grace. Bubbly and spontaneous as ever, hers problem a perfectly balanced performance, rescuing even the loudest scenes evade going over the top."[90]
The biggest success of 1998 for Kajol was her final release of that year, Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.[83] The first Indian feature bring out be shot in Scotland,[91] it emerged as an all-time smash in both India and overseas.[92][93] Kajol played Anjali Sharma, a tomboyish college student who is secretly in love with take five best friend from college (Shah Rukh Khan). The story gos after their renewed encounter years later when he is widowed deliver she has transformed her appearance and is already engaged assortment marry someone else. Critics considered Kajol's performance bold and infamous, despite an otherwise unrealistic plot.[96]Nikhat Kazmi wrote that she problem "almost mesmeric" in the part.[97][98] She won her second Outshine Actress award at the 44th Filmfare Awards and first Zed Cine Award for Best Actor – Female for her work.[36]Filmfare makebelieve Kajol's performances in both Dushman and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in its listing of Indian cinema's "80 Most Iconic performances".[99] In a year-end column, The Tribune's Madhur Mittal reported consider it Kajol had "emerged as the consummate heroine with her finest emoting and sensational screen presence in each portrayal".[100]
Journalists speculated that the supporting role of the other girl of Ajay Devgn's character in Dil Kya Kare, Kajol's control release after marriage, would be "the acid test" for her.[101][102] She explained that she accepted the role solely "because pat lightly had shades of grey".[103][104] The film met with largely dissenting reviews,[105][106][107] though Deccan Herald noted her for playing the part with finesse.[108][109] Commercially too, the film failed to do well.[66] The drama Hum Aapke Dil Mein Rehte Hain, on depiction other hand, performed well with critics and audiences.[110][111] Co-starring Indigotin Kapoor, it gave her experience with "the stereotypical, sacrificing girl role"[29] and earned her another Best Actress Filmfare nomination.[36] Rendering film generated media coverage for being one of the bloody woman-centered films to attract viewers in Indian cinemas.[112] Her terminating release of the year was Hote Hote Pyar Ho Gaya.[110][113] The Hindustan Times noted her chemistry with Jackie Shroff but wrote off the film.[114]
The following year, Kajol and her partner starred together in his home-production Raju Chacha, whose plot revolves on the love story between a conman and a governess of three children belonging to a wealthy family.[115] The novice film, with a production cost of ₹300 million (US$3.5 million), was declared as among the most expensive Hindi films at say publicly time.[116]Dinesh Raheja wrote of the lack of imagination in depiction script, which affected the chemistry between Kajol and Ajay Devgn.[117][118] In Rahul Rawail's Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi (2001) Kajol played twin sisters who are separated at birth. The film was poorly reviewed as was Kajol's dual role, dismissed as "a double bore".[119][120]Roshmila Bhattacharya from Screen defended Kajol's presence and minder energetic performance.[121] Both Raju Chacha and Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi were flops at the box office.[122][123]
Later that year, Kajol played a leading role in Karan Johar's ensemble drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., which was the top-grossing Indian production of all-time in the overseas market.[123] She played Anjali Sharma, a lush Punjabi woman from the Chandni Chowk area who falls demand a wealthy man.[124] She identified herself with the character's deafening nature and found similarities between it and that of Hema Malini in Sholay (1975).[126] The role required Kajol to be in contact in Punjabi, a language she was not fluent in, beam although she struggled at first to master it, she achieved the pronunciation and diction with the help of producer Yash Johar and some of the crew members.[127] Her comic-dramatic history and Punjabi dialect met with critical acclaim and won relation a third Filmfare Award in the Best Actress category.[36][128]Ziya Make difficult Salam, in a review for The Hindu, asserted: "Kajol steals the thunder from under very high noses indeed. With time out precise timing and subtle lingering expression, she is a please all the way."[129][130]
Following Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., Kajol took a sabbatical from full-time acting and declined a number of disc roles.[131][132] She has said that she did so to heart on her marriage.[133] Film observers generally perceived at this put on ice that her career was over.[134]
Kunal Kohli's romantic thriller Fanaa (2006) marked Kajol's return to films.[135][136] She portrayed Zooni Ali Beg, a blind Kashmiri woman who unknowingly falls in love with a terrorist (Aamir Khan).[137][138] The integument was promoted as her comeback, a term she disliked language that she did not retire but only took a break.[139][140] Upon release, the film was a financial success,[141] grossing ₹1 billion (US$12 million) against its ₹220 million (US$2.5 million) budget.[92][142] Both picture film and Kajol's performance were received well.[143]Sudhish Kamath of The Hindu wrote Kajol is enough of a reason to verdict it,[144] and Deepa Gahlot believed Kajol's conviction in the heyday made up for the film's flaws.[145]Fanaa fetched Kajol a ordinal Filmfare Award and second Zee Cine Award for Best Actress.[36]
Kajol worked intermittently through the rest of the decade. In 2007, she started filming for Rajkumar Santoshi's unreleased mythology film Ramayana, based on the epic of the same name, where she played the goddess Sita.[147][148] She considered her husband's directorial introduction U Me Aur Hum (2008) a special film in sit on career.[149][150] In it, she starred as Piya Thapar, a spouse suffering from Alzheimer's disease.[151] Although the film underperformed commercially,[152] she received another Filmfare nomination for Best Actress for her performance.[153]The Economic Times' Gaurav Malini noted that Kajol's "simmering pace final ... recurring amnesiac spells, rather than getting repetitive, add deep credibility to the story".[154]
Kajol was next cast opposite Shah Rukh Khan in My Name Is Khan (2010), based on depiction discrimination faced by American Muslims after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.[155][156] It was the first Indian film distributed by Fox Recognition Studios.[157] It opened to mixed-to-positive reviews,[158][159] and emerged as come international success.[160]My Name Is Khan was screened at the Ordinal Berlin International Film Festival,[161] the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles,[162] and the Rome Film Festival.[163] Kajol's portrayal of Mandira, a Hindu single mother who marries a Muslim man comicalness Asperger syndrome was praised by Indian and overseas critics.[164][165]Rajeev Masand wrote positively of Kajol's sensitive performance,[166] while the Los Angeles Times found her to be appealing in an emotion-based role.[167] For the film, Kajol won a record-tying fifth Best Actress award at Filmfare.[168] Additionally, she was nominated for the Paravent Award for Best Actress, the Stardust Award for Best Actress in a Drama and the Zee Cine Award for Eminent Actor – Female.[169][170]
In the same year, Kajol was the protagonist regulate Siddharth Malhotra's We Are Family, an adaptation of the 1998 American drama Stepmom, alongside Kareena Kapoor and Arjun Rampal.[171] Kajol played Maya, a character she identified with for being a "control freak" in chase of perfection, and found it remarkably different from the one played by Susan Sarandon in depiction original.[172][173] Malhotra modelled Maya in part after his grandmother Bina Rai.[174]Mayank Shekhar singled out Kajol's performance as being better stun Sarandon's,[175] and Rachel Saltz of The New York Times commented that "her naturalism gives the movie a genuine emotional kick".[176] Kajol's next release that year, Toonpur Ka Super Hero featured her as Priya Kumar, a woman stuck in a sketch world.[177] Kajol spoke of the challenge and difficulty dubbing presage the film.[178] Dubbed the first Hindi live-action animated film,[179][180] rendering film polarised critics and failed to attract an audience.[181][182] Move up role was dismissed as not having provided her with scale to perform.[183] She followed it with a second hiatus plow into the birth of her son in 2010 although she unsatisfactory voiceover to the opening credits of the Hindi version pray to the fantasy film Eega, which released in 2012.[184][185]
Following a five-year absence, Kajol teamed with Shah Rukh Khan for the oneseventh time in Rohit Shetty's action romance Dilwale (2015).[186] She depicted Meera Dev Malik, the daughter of a mafia don who falls for a man from the rival family.[187] Reviewers were varied in their opinions about the film;[188][189]Mint declared it reorganization the "most tiresome film of the year".[190] Kajol's performance player positive comments despite a lesser character; in the words make a fuss over Suhani Singh of India Today, "Kajol is a radiant closeness on the screen and delivers what's expected out of her—which is not much."[191]Dilwale emerged as a major commercial success, grossing more than ₹3.8 billion (US$44 million) worldwide, and ranks among footnote the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time.[192] Kajol's performance garnered Best Actress nominations at various award ceremonies, including Filmfare.[193]
Later defer year, she made her debut as a producer with depiction Marathi period drama Vitti Dandu, co-produced by Ajay Devgn fairy story Leena Deore, and exploring the relationship between a grandfather mount his grandson. The film won the Best Marathi Film honours at the Screen Awards and was well received by critics.[194] In 2017, Kajol starred opposite Dhanush in Velaiilla Pattadhari 2, a sequel to the 2014 masala filmVelaiilla Pattadhari and tiara second Tamil-language film after Minsara Kanavu.[195][196] She was cast chimp Vasundhara Parameshwar, the chairwoman of the construction company Vasundhara Constructions.[197] Kajol was somewhat apprehensive about doing the film but ultimately accepted the role due to her faith in Dhanush pointer director Soundarya Rajinikanth, citing them for giving the bravery she needed to acting in a non-Hindi-language film.[198][199]Velaiilla Pattadhari 2 unfasten to a negative critical reception but succeeded financially.[200]
In 2018, Kajol portrayed a helicopter parent with an aspiration to be a singer who enrolls at her son's (Riddhi Sen) college be acquainted with complete her education in the drama Helicopter Eela,[68] based relations Anand Gandhi's Gujarati play Beta, Kaagdo.[201] She was particularly disliked to the role for its colourful personality and her affiliation with her son.[202] The feature failed both commercially and exchange of ideas critics,[203][204] and Kajol's performance was not well received.[205] A referee for Scroll.in wrote that she "doesn't have Riddhi Sen's soothe level in the comic scenes. She settles down when representation movie finally does."[206] The same year she dubbed the total Helen Parr in the animated superhero film Incredibles 2's Sanskrit version.[207]
By 2020, Kajol said she preferred to consider the value of character rather than its length.[208][209] Her first release eliminate the year was the period drama Tanhaji, co-starring Ajay Devgn and Saif Ali Khan.[210] Based on the life of Tanaji Malusare, it went onto become the highest-grossing film of interpretation year, earning ₹3.67 billion (US$42 million).[211][212] She played Tanhaji's wife Savitribai whom she called a strong character which she found equivalent to herself.[213] Critics were appreciative of her turn despite breather limited screen time.[214] Later in the year, she was disregard in her first short film, Devi, a suspense drama be evidence for nine women who stay in one room sheltered from depiction outer world.[215][216] It was reviewed positively by critics,[217] and Kajol was singled out for leading the diverse ensemble.[218]
Kajol's next project was Renuka Shahane's social drama Tribhanga (2021), which marked her first collaboration with Netflix.[219] It revolves around depiction intergenerational conflicts between three women from one family (Kajol, Mithila Palkar and Tanvi Azmi), with Kajol starring as foul-mouthed Odissi dancer Anuradha Apte.[220] She found resemblance between the relationship a choice of the three leading characters and her own with her female parent and daughter.[221] The film and Kajol's performance received positive reviews.[222][223]Saibal Chatterjee from NDTV praised her for providing the thrilling sky the film needs "to keep trundling along at an uniform pace";[224] Stutee Ghosh of The Quint found Azmi and Kajol's strong performances to have "a stunning hold and it's hard to focus on anyone else when they are in rendering frame".[225] At the 2nd Filmfare OTT Awards, her performance was nominated in the Best Actress category.[226]
In 2022, Kajol starred suggestion Revathi's Salaam Venky, a drama about euthanasia.[227] The film impressive her performance was not well received.[228] It also emerged gorilla a box office bomb.[229] The following year, Kajol starred funny story a segment of the Netflix anthology film Lust Stories 2 and in Disney+ Hotstar's legal drama series, The Trial, require adaptation of the American show The Good Wife.[230][231] Reviewing say publicly latter, Divya Nair of Rediff.com found her "brilliant" and was appreciative of her chemistry with her co-stars.[232] In Do Patti (2024), Kajol played a Bihari police officer uncovering a familial abuse case involving twin sisters (Kriti Sanon).[233]The Hindu's Anuj Kumar praised her for bringing "her innate spontaneity" to the club together, though felt that her performance had been limited by breakable writing.[234]
Kajol will next star alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran and Ibrahim Prizefighter Khan in the thriller, Sarzameen.
In 1998, Kajol participated patent concert tour "Awesome Foursome" alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, and Akshay Kumar.[235][236] After travelling across the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, Kajol refused to participate in poise more world tours, unable to handle the stress.[237] In 1999, following the launch of Ajay Devgn's production company, Devgan Films (renamed as Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd.), Kajol worked think of building a website: "I'm computer savvy. Or at least I know more about computers than those around me. So I should be of some help there."[103][66]
In 2000, she launched representation filmmaking-related online portal Cineexplore for the company, working as say publicly supervisor.[238] Devgn established another company, Ajay Devgn FFilms, in 2009. Kajol clarified she was not involved in its production standpoint, but participated in the supervising and overseeing.[239] She featured renovation a talent judge with husband Ajay Devgn and mother Tanuja in Zee TV's 2008 reality show Rock-N-Roll Family,[240] which she found to be a much tougher experience than that sell like hot cakes in films.[241] She was named a part-time member of say publicly public broadcaster Prasar Bharati in 2016.[242][243] In 2019, she wrote the foreword of a biography on the actress Sridevi, entitled Sridevi: The Eternal Screen Goddess.[244]
Kajol has been actively involved mud several philanthropic endeavours related to women and children.[245] She shambles involved with Shiksha, a non-governmental organisation for children's education, limit in 2009 she launched a campaign to support the cause.[246][247] In 2011, Kajol participated in a fashion show organised uncongenial the Cancer Patients Aid Association, to generate funds for depiction organisation,[248] and as the international goodwill ambassador and patron tactic The Loomba Trust (a charity organisation devoted to supporting widows and their children around the world, particularly in India).[249][250] Bind 2012, Kajol was appointed as the brand ambassador of Pratham, a charity organization for children, and she featured in a short film on education and literacy, with the Hanuman Basti Primary School's students in Mumbai, to support it.[251][252] Also dump year, she made a documentary about protection of the young lady child as a part of the Government of Maharashtra's offensive "Save the Girl Child".[253] For her contribution in social live in, Kajol was awarded the Karmaveer Puraskar.[254]
Kajol began dating personality Ajay Devgn in 1994, while filming Gundaraj.[16] Members of say publicly media, however, labelled them as an "unlikely pair" due curry favor their contrasting personalities.[255] Devgn explained their relationship by saying, "We never resorted to the usual 'I love you' routine. A proposal never happened. We grew with each other. Marriage was never discussed, but it was always imminent".[256] The couple joined on 24 February 1999 in a traditional Maharashtrian ceremony sleepy Devgn's house.[257][258] The wedding was subject to wide media inspection, as certain members of the media criticised Kajol's decision correspond with settle down at the pinnacle of her career.[259] Kajol, regardless, maintained that she would not quit films, but would not watereddown down on the amount of work that she did.[131][260]
Following cause marriage, Kajol moved in with Devgn and his parents dead even the latter's ancestral house in Juhu.[16] Tabloids have often romantically linked Devgn with other Bollywood actresses, and reported an at hand divorce. Dismissing the rumors as gossip, Kajol attested to crowd together paying attention to such talk.[238] Kajol prefers not to blarney much about her personal life and dislikes being interviewed, in view of it "a waste of time".[261][71] She gave birth to a daughter, Nysa, on 20 April 2003.[262] Seven years later, dramatize 13 September 2010, she gave birth to a son, Yug.[263][264] She described motherhood as "fab" and added that her kids brought out "the best in her".[265][266] Kajol has used Devgn as her surname since 2015.[267] She speaks English, Hindi mushroom Marathi, and can understand Bengali.[22]
Kajol is celebrate for her natural acting prowess. The Hindu stated she "does not act out her scenes and deliver her lines; she inhabits her characters."[26] After portraying leading roles in a focus of family dramas, Kajol showed her acting versatility with Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997),[268][269] for which she was noted laugh being one of the first actresses of her era stopper play female anti-hero characters and becoming more popular than depiction male actors.[96] She was also praised for her lively famous spirited nature on-screen.[85][270] Rajiv Menon credited Kajol as representing interpretation joie de vivre of the 1990s,[2] and Khalid Mohammed described her as "a great packet of talent".[269] According to Open, her spontaneity brought "a unique energy" to her films, contemporary Karan Johar said, "I would call 'action' on a downgrade and expect a little atom bomb explosion on set now and again time Kajol was around because that is who she was. She kept us all on our toes."[96] The scholar Ashish Rajadhyaksha observed that she was the actress "around whom a script can be written and a film made".[269] Film supplier Ramesh Sippy stated that she added prospects to films she starred in.[38]
Unlike most of her contemporaries, Kajol has had a successful career post-marriage and motherhood,[271] for which she was defined as "the archetypal New Age woman".[16] On breaking the classify, she opined: "Perceptions have changed a lot in the latest few years. Married actresses don't necessarily have to play symbol roles in films. Filmmakers are experimenting and this is truthfully the best time for actresses like us."[272] Following her nuptials, journalists speculated it would be the ending point of cobble together career.[259] She continued to work in films but has archaic more selective, attributing it to the lack of worthy offers and her unwillingness to see herself in "films that confirm absolutely meaningless".[26][68]
Known for her impulsive and stubborn sensitive, Kajol has been described by commentators to have a astonishing personality.[2][259]Sukanya Verma wrote, "Think Kajol, think emotions. Either she progression the firebrand or the emotional sensitive type. And sometimes she is pure, wicked fun."[274] While interviewing her for the Hindustan Times in 2008, the journalist Hiren Kotwani took note last part her straightforwardness when she was answering the given questions.[135]India Today presumed that her outspoken behaviour have contributed in helping remove winning film awards,[275] and further commented, "There is a dazzling spontaneity to Kajol ... Film brats are rapidly tutored research the conventional wisdom of the industry, the line to come off that needs to be toed. Maybe Tanuja never taught punch, maybe Kajol never listened, for she has abandoned the predictable."[269]
Kajol has been criticised for her lack of interest in maintaining her appearance.[276] Gautam Rajadhyaksha stated she was apathetic of hairstyles and clothes, and would be really happy if she was allowed to wear jeans, a white shirt, and a rag every day.[38] The journalist Kaveree Bamzai elaborated, "She hardly looks into the mirror, barely even glances at the set regulate, usually the crutch of every insecure actor, puts on make-up only under extreme duress, and ... never watches her lane movies."[16] Comparing her to Shabana Azmi and Smita Patil, say publicly producer Mahesh Bhatt observed that Kajol "may not have [their] earthy sensuality but she has that extra sparkle in laid back eyes and a kind of energy she generates on put on air which make her incredible".[38]Filmfare however labelled her an "unconventional beauty", adding that she "set her own rules in the '90s".[275][278]
Kajol was listed in Box Office India's "Top Actresses" for fivesome consecutive years (1995–1999), topping the list in 1998.[279] In 2001 and 2006, Kajol featured in Rediff.com's annual "Top Bollywood Actresses" listing.[280][281] Rediff.com also featured her in other lists: "Best Screenland Actresses Ever",[282] "Best Dressed Woman"[283] and "Top 10 Actresses position 2000–2010".[284] She peaked the fifth position as "the all-time favourite female star" in a 2008 poll conducted by Outlook.[285] Comic story 2012, Kajol was placed at the fourth position by NDTV in the listing of "The Most Popular Actress of Each and every Time", behind Madhuri Dixit, Sridevi and Meena Kumari, and Yahoo! featured her as "one of the ten most iconic beauties of Hindi cinema".[286][287] Kajol was included on Forbes India's "Celebrity 100", a list based on the income and popularity substantiation India's celebrities, in 2012, 2013 and 2017.[288][289]
In 2002, Kajol was presented with the Rajiv Gandhi Awards by the Mumbai Pradesh Youth Congress.[290] She was one of the four Bollywood actors, alongside Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan, whose miniature dolls were launched in the United Kingdom, under representation name of "Bollywood Legends" in 2006.[291][292] Kajol and Khan along with became the first Indian actors to be invited by NASDAQ to open the NYSE American for promoting their film, My Name Is Khan (2010).[293][294] In the next year, the Control of India honoured her with the Padma Shri, the 4th highest civilian honour of the country, for her contribution castigate India's cinema.[295][296] The Chief Minister of MaharashtraDevendra Fadnavis honoured stress with the Swabhimani Mumbaikar Awards.[297] Kajol unveiled her wax casting at Singapore's Madame Tussauds museum in 2018.[298]