Kajol, who has been part of the film industry for over three decades, has several acclaimed films to her credit, including Abbas-Mustan’s 1993 crime thriller Baazigar, co-starring Shah Rukh Khan. However, in a recent interview, the actor revealed that she was initially hesitant to sign the film. It was her father, Shomu Mukherji, who convinced her to take the role and encouraged her to work with “good directors.” Kajol also shared how her father played a significant role in shaping her career and guiding her film choices.
During the conversation with Filmfare, Kajol said, “My dad actually warned me. He said, ‘You better be sure what you want to do, because once you put that makeup on, its not going to come off.’ I was like 16 at that time and said, ‘What nonsense! I am an educated girl, I am a today’s woman. If I choose to leave the films I will leave the films and I will show you. There’s no one who can keep me from doing what I want to do.”
The actor further recalled that it was her father who convinced her to do Baazigar. “He was also a very practical person, very much in the flow of the industry. He was also the person who told me that I must do Baazigar. Because I was not sure whether I should do Baazigar or not. I was like, ‘I was really not sure about it. What is this film? What am I doing in the film?’ He was like no you must do it as these are good directors, I know Abbas-Mustan. That was one film that he told me that I really must do it,” she added.
Kajol’s father Shomu Mukherji passed away due to a cardiac arrest at the age of 65 in Mumbai, on April 11, 2008.
Baazigar, featuring Shah Rukh, Kajol, and Shilpa Shetty in the lead roles, was a huge commercial success and went on to become a fan favourite over the years.
Watch interview with Sarzameen actor Kajol:
Meanwhile, on the work front, Kajol’s Sarzameen will premiere on Jio Hotstar on July 25. Directed by Kayoze Irani, the film also stars Ibrahim Ali Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran.
