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Mum's The Word
Photographs by Dabboo Ratnani. Styling by Nisha Jhangiani. Make-up and
hair by Mickey Contractor. All outfits by Manish Malhotra.
Published: Volume 13, Issue 4, July-August, 2005
Many people told me that I would regret staying at home, giving up my
work, even temporarily, for my kid. They were all fools. I appreciate
every moment I spend with her.
On her self-imposed sabbatical from celluloid, she continues to revel
in her real life role of mother to moppet, Nysa. But, you can't keep a
good actress away from the greasepaint. New mommy, Kajol, readies
herself for a `comeback', even as her 1995-runaway romance, Dilwale
Dulhania Le Jayenge, is all set to become the longest running Indian
film. SHRADDHA JAHAGIRDAR-SAXENA has a freewheeling chat with an
actress always worth watching.
Pearl and diamond earrings and diamond bangle, at Anmol. Tan leather
beanbag and animal print rug, at Eastern Treasure Lifestyle. Both in
Mumbai.
Public interest in her activities have not diminished, not one whit at
all. Whether she's dashing off to Goa with her actor-spouse, Ajay
Devgan and their toddler, Nysa, making a brief appearance on the small
screen for best friend, Karan Johar, or turning brand ambassador for a
refrigerator, Kajol hasn't lost her innate ability to make heads
swivel. And circa 2005 is the time to raise a toast as the Kajol-Shah
Rukh Khan blockbuster, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) – the mother
of all contemporary romances – gets set to complete a decade of
continuous running in theatres, this October.
For Kajol aficionados, who've appreciated her bravura – sometimes
syrupy, sometimes over the top, sometimes contained... always from the
heart – performances in flick after flick, the celebration mode
sparked off end 2004 when the actress announced her `return' to the
world of Technicolor in the as yet untitled film under the Yash Chopra
banner, co-starring Aamir Khan – her first appearance opposite this Khan.
On a sultry morning, a mere ten minutes after the appointed time, a
Mercedes slides to a smooth halt at the designated venue; her non-stop
chatter assails my ears as she strolls into the cool confines of the
room, mobile glued to her ear. Despatching her driver back home to
fetch her baby and asking for a cup of hot coffee, all in one breath,
Kajol settles down...jabbering awhile with old friend and make-up
magician, Mickey Contractor and sorting through the designer clothes
that our stylist has rustled up for her. Swiftly slipping into her
professional avatar, Kajol serenades the camera and answers questions
in a roller-coaster chatathon that spans a few hours.Congratulations
are in order as our talk takes off from the remarkable box office
performance of Aditya Chopra's directorial effort, DDLJ – the longest
running Indian film.Though diehard fans have watched the runaway
romance time and again, its leading lady has, by her own admission,
seen the complete film only twice. "DDLJ did well because it
emphasised the importance of values. It showed that if love was
important, so were our parents.... That is why it was a popular family
film," explains the 30-something Kajol. "But, I am my strongest critic
and pick out a 100 flaws in each of my performances. That is why I do
not like to see any of my films more often than necessary."
Diamond earrings and ruby diamond bracelet, at Jet Gems; diamond
tennis bracelet, at Anmol. Both in Mumbai. 18 carat gold watch, by
Vacheron Constantin.
Quiz her on Simran, her screen alter ego in DDLJ and Kajol, who made
the character come alive so vibrantly, confesses, in between sips of
coffee, "I can identify with her only because I know many girls who
are like Simran but I am made of a different metal. I would never
think like her nor do half the things she did. My parents gave me the
choice and the freedom to do what I wanted to without labouring under
the pressure of living up to their expectations. Now, I adopt the same
tactics with Nysa...."
A mention of the moppet and there is a soft knock at the door
announcing Kajol Jr's arrival. The spitting image of her dad, (no
pictures please, insists the protective mum) Nysa, whose name means
the goddess of purity in Greek, steals the limelight momentarily from
her proud mother. Plonking Nysa on her lap, Tanuja's girl, now grown
up, admits to seeing her own mum in a new light. "I can now understand
whyMom brought me up the way she did. My mother has always been a very
cool person. She drew the lines from a young age but she trusted my
judgement. So, though Nysa is still small, I let her learn from her
mistakes. I tell her once, twice...at the most, thrice and then let
her do her own thing," says Kajol, remembering how the little girl
wanted to walk on the road outside their home without any chappals on.
Not heeding her mother's warnings, she did so...and promptly ran back
in to cover her feet.Believe it or not, the unconventional Kajol is
the disciplinarian in the family. "Ajay is like butter in her hands,"
she says. "Nysa has a T-shirt that proclaims, `My finger is small but
I can wrap my father around it.' So, I have to be firm...I do not let
her get away with a lot of things."
Reverting to her decision to take a brief break, Kajol says she has
always been the kind of person who, by her own admission, has "taken
time off to do the things I wanted – like reading, travelling, meeting
up with people, concentrating on stuff apart from work." Reading, in
fact, has been a major passion with her...even though she has never
really been an avid fan of classics. "I grew up on a diet of Mills and
Boon...I have read best-sellers and complete junk. Classics have bored
me. I am not a serious reader, but I have a vivid imagination. If not
an actress, I would have started a bookstore or a library...and sat
there with my kids. Ajay would be my highest paying customer," she grins.
Her closeness with Ajay warmly extends to her parents-in-laws, Bina
and Veeru Devgan, as well. The Devgans live together in suburban Juhu
and Kajol luxuriates in the support she gets from her parents-in-law.
As she admits, "I am married into a family which is different from the
one I grew up in. Here, women are more typically uni-dimensional, like
in most homes. My mother-in-law, Ma, is simple and straightforward....
Glorious though the last two years have been, I would not have
survived them without her. I sometimes feel I am married to Ma…Ajay is
out most of the time."
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Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:38 pm
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