Throwback: When Kajol opened up on her parents’ separation when she was barely 5; ‘It could have gone very wrong…’ | Hindi Movie News

Kajol, at 50 years old, is having a dream run in her career, with the choicest of roles, both on OTT and big screen. Her next ‘Do Patti’, co-starring Kriti Sanon is a mystery thriller, which sees the actress in the role of a cop.

Kajol, who is the daughter of actress Tanuja and late Shomu Mukherjee, has largely been brought up by her mother, since her parents separated when she and her sister Tanishaa were quite young.

However, Kajol has maintained the fact that she has had a very happy childhood, though it could have gone terribly wrong.
A few years back, in an episode of Netflix’ Behensplaining, she said, “I had the most amazing upbringing ever. I am very lucky to have been brought up by such a forward-thinking, amazing person who taught me so much about life, growing up and about being an adult from the time that I was a child. But I totally get if it had gone even slightly wrong what it would have been like.”
She added, “My parents separated when I was about four-and-a-half years old, and it could have gone very wrong. I have so many friends whose parents are together till today but not in the best spaces. They have not had great childhoods. I loved my father separately, I loved my mother separately, and I loved them together as well.”
Giving vent to the experience she has had in this industry in the recent edition of India Today, Kajol recently spoke candidly about struggles she said that if she had to pinpoint one single moment when she almost quit acting it would be her third movie, ‘Udhaar Ki Zindagi’. As she mentions in the interview, at the time she was just 17 or 18, she felt that everything was being thrust upon her very much. Referring to a conversation with Shah Rukh Khan when she recounts having been told by him ‘don’t worry anymore about getting work, just try to become a good actor’. “He said, ‘You know you just have to learn how to act,'” she recalled.
She elaborated, “I was like, what is this? What is he talking about? Of course, I’m doing a fabulous job. But I did this film called Udhaar Ki Zindagi. And I’m finishing the film. And I remember turning around and telling my mother at that time, ‘You know, mom, I’m done. Wow. I’m burnt out. At the tender age of 18-and-a-half, I am done. I cannot move anymore. I cannot cry anymore. I cannot put glycerine anymore. I can’t, I don’t want to do these films anymore. I want to do, you know, four scenes, ten songs.’ That frustration made her shift towards lighter roles. She joined films that needed less emotional harassment. Which is why she signed ‘Gunda Raj’ and ‘Hulchul,’ which brought her once again back to the theatres.

She debut into Indian cinema with the movie ‘Bekhudi’ in 1992, and her passage remained positive, taking her through to major movies such as ‘Baazigar’ in 1993, ‘Karan Arjun‘ in 1995, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ in 1995, ‘Gupt’ in 1997,’Ishq’ in 1997, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ in 1998, and ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’ in 2001. The movies positioned her as one of the leading actresses in Indian cinema.
On the work front, Kajol will be paired once more with Kriti in the new film ‘Do Patti’, co-presented by Kriti and Screenwriter Kanika Kapoor. The romantic thriller is scheduled for release on 25 October, 2024. It is directed by Shashanka Chaturvedi and stars Shaheer Sheikh and Tanvi Azmi.