Great people are made of small beginnings. And that’s what gives them the lacquered edge over the rest. Kajol’s entry onto the silver screen was a blurred image on memory screens - with ‘Bekhudi’, opposite Kamal Sadanah, the doe-eyed Bong beauty made her foray in to Bollywood.
It was in the genes, and it was predestined. The daughter of actor Shomu Mukherjee and Tanuja, the niece of unsullied beauty, Nutan, and the grand-daughter of Shobhna Samarth, Kajol took charge of her territory in the first few years of stardom; it was almost like she had swallowed the secret gems of success right in the womb. ‘Bazigaar’ in 1993, followed by ‘Yeh Dillagi’ in 1994 established that Kajol had inherited nothing but the best from her illustrious filmi lineage.
But, of course, what catapulted Kajol into the top rung was ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge’ in 1995, with Badshaah Khan – Shah Rukh. With her self-effacing, endearing, and lifelike performance, Kajol tiptoed into the hearts of millions of Indian fans.
At a time when most actresses in her league would evade any unconventional or negative role, Kajol made an unwavering move to tread onto the road less travelled. Her resplendent portrayal of a dark character in ‘Gupt’ made other actresses revise their own benchmarks. Then, again, her twin-role in ‘Dushman’ gave the audiences hair-rising entertainment.
Spontaneity and versatility are two virtues that have set apart Kajol from the rest of her kin. She could dissolve herself into the character of Simran in ‘Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge’, draped in chiffons, silks and sarees, with as much dexterity she could transform in to the tom-boy Anjali in ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, sporting sneakers, track-pants, caps and a short-crop hair-cut. Her stellar performance in ‘KKHH’ is indeed one of her best she has delivered so far.
One wonders why Kajol did ever did films like ‘Karan Arjun’ and ‘Hamesha’, ‘Hote Hote Pyaar Ho Gaya’, as they didn’t conform to her natural acumen and piquancy for bagging the perfect roles. However, to err is human, and when a star is riding on a meteor of accolades, a slip here ‘n’ there is worthy of the audiences’ amnesty. At the zenith of her career, when most actresses would single-mindedly drive their careers into the fast lane, Kajol plunged into marital bliss. She married her co-star and sweet-heart, Ajay Devgan. Perhaps the couple took their first film together ‘Ishq’ too seriously? Soon after, motherhood beckoned Kajol, and the couple went on to have their first – a baby girl, Nysa.
The myth that marriage and motherhood affect the popularity of actresses’ was condemned by the actress. While she didn’t go to any lengths to prove this wrong, her popularity did. And even she couldn’t be blind to this fact. Her inexorable, soaring popularity and the resolute demand of her fans and filmmakers urged Kajol to come back to the limelight. And ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’ and Fanaa, Kajol set the screen on fire yet again with her beguiling presence. Kajol reaches for the stars, yet for her sky is not the limit.
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