Kajol Mukherjee, better known by her married name Kajol Devgan, is an Indian film actress best recognized for her work in Hindi films. She has won six Filmfare awards so far in her career and has established herself as one of Bollywood’s most well-known and well-paid actresses. With the film ‘Bekhudi,’ Kajol made her film debut. She made her big screen debut in the criminal thriller ‘Baazigar,’ which was a great box office hit. ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,’ ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,’ ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,’ ‘Fanaa,’ and ‘My Name Is Khan’ are some of her most well-known flicks. She was given the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian honor, in recognition of her contributions to Indian cinema. Despite her enormous success, she does not come without critics. She is noted for her unique appearance, which is not typical of a Hindi film actress. Her lack of interest in slimming or grooming her appearance has been attacked in the media.
Childhood and Adolescence
Kajol Mukherjee was born in Mumbai, India on August 5, 1974 to Shomu and Tanuja Mukherjee. Her mother is an actress, while her father worked as a director and producer in the film industry. Tanisha Mukherjee, her younger sister, went on to become an actor as well.
Kajol claims that as a child, she was a mischievous and obstinate child. In Panchgani, India’s famous hill station, she attended the St. Joseph Convent boarding school. She also took part in extracurricular activities like dancing. When she was sixteen, she began performing in the film ‘Bekhudi.’ She eventually dropped out of school to pursue a full-time acting career.
Career of Kajol
Kajol made her film début in 1992’s romance movie ‘Bekhudi,’ in which her mother Tanuja also starred as her onscreen mother. ‘Baazigar,’ a crime thriller directed by Abbas Mustan, was a great commercial smash, despite the film’s poor box office performance. Four Filmfare awards were also given to the film.
She went on to star in films such as ‘Udhaar ki Zindagi’ (1994), ‘Yeh Dillagi’ (1994), and ‘Karan Arjun’ (1994). (1995). She also starred in the 1995 film ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,’ which went on to become not just the year’s biggest hit, but also one of the most popular and successful Indian films of all time. Her work was praised, and she received her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress.
In the 1997 film ‘Gupt: The Hidden Truth,’ she played a sadistic killer and obsessive lover. The film, which also starred Bobby Deol and Manisha Koirala, was a box office success. She was the first actress to receive the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role.
After roles in films such as ‘Pyaar Kiya to Darna Kya,’ ‘Dushman,’ and ‘Pyaar to Hona Hi Tha,’ she finally reached the pinnacle of her career in 1998, when she played the lead in ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,’ a romantic drama that went on to become one of India’s most successful films. It went on to become a cult classic. Kajol got her second Filmfare Award for ‘Best Actress’ for this film.
She also acted in a few unsuccessful films over the years, including ‘Dil Kya Kare’ (1999) and ‘Hote Hote Pyaar Ho Gaya’ (1999). In 2000, she co-starred in ‘Raju Chacha,’ an action picture with her husband Ajay Devgn that was the most costly Indian film ever at the time. The picture, however, bombed at the box office and received unfavorable reviews from reviewers.
She starred in the Indian family drama ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham…’ in 2001. Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Kareena Kapoor also acted in the film. The film was not only a monetary success, but also a box office smash. Following the film’s popularity, Kajol chose to take a break.
In 2006, she made a comeback with the romantic thriller ‘Fanaa.’ Kunal Kohli directed the picture, which was a big commercial success. Both critics and the public praised her performance.
Her next appearance was in the 2008 love drama ‘U, Me, Aur Hun,’ directed by her husband Ajay Devgn, who also starred in the film. She was nominated for a ‘Filmfare Award’ for Best Actress in a Leading Role. The picture, however, did not fare well at the box office.
In 2010, she starred in the romantic drama ‘My Name Is Khan,’ which went on to become one of Bollywood’s highest-grossing films. The film, directed by Karan Johar, was a great hit all over the world.
Her most recent film appearance was in the 2015 Indian romantic comedy ‘Dilwale.’ The picture did well in the box office and received mixed reviews.
Major Projects of Kajol
Kajol’s biggest achievements include ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,’ which is one of the most successful Hindi films of all time. The film was directed by Aditya Chopra and followed Shahrukh Khan and Kajol as Raj and Simran, who fall in love. Simran’s family, on the other hand, is opposed to their marriage because her father had promised her hand to a friend’s son a long time ago. It was the highest-grossing Indian film of 1995, winning ten Filmfare awards in total.
The romantic comedy ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ is another of Kajol’s most successful productions. The film, directed by Karan Johar, was a major hit in India, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of the year. The film follows a young girl as she attempts to reunite her bereaved father with his old best friend, who was secretly in love with him. Eight Filmfare awards were given to the film. It received excellent reviews from critics as well.
Kajol’s performance in the romantic thriller ‘Fanaa’ was also praised. The film, directed by Kunal Kohli, depicted her as a blind Kashmiri girl who falls in love with a terrorist played by Aamir Khan. For this role, Kajol got the Filmfare Award for ‘Best Actress.’ The film was mainly well-received by critics.
Another of Kajol’s most important works is ‘My Name Is Khan.’ The film, directed by Karan Johar, features Kajol and veteran actor Shahrukh Khan in the key roles. Khan plays Rizwan, an innocent Muslim man who is on a mission to show to the American people that not all Muslims are terrorists. The film earned largely positive reviews and was a tremendous financial success. For her performance, Kajol received the Filmfare Award for ‘Best Actress’ once more.
Achievements & Awards
Kajol has won a total of six Filmfare Awards throughout her career. She has received five Filmfare Awards for her outstanding performances in films such as ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’ (1995), ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ (1998), ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham…’ (2001), ‘Fanaa’ (2006), and ‘My Name is Khan’ (2010). For the film ‘Gupt: The Hidden Truth,’ she also got a Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role (1997).
She has also won multiple additional honors, including the ‘Star Screen Award’ for Best Actress in 1999 for her performance in ‘Dushman,’ and the ‘IIFA Best Actress Award’ in 2002 for her work in ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham…’
Kajol received the Padma Shri award in 2011, which is India’s fourth highest civilian honor.
Personal Experiences of Kajol
In 1999, Kajol married Ajay Devgn, a well-known Bollywood actor. Nysa (born 2003) and Yug (born 2005) are the couple’s two children (born 2010).
She is well-known for her social activities in addition to her performances. Her charity efforts have been recognized with the renowned ‘Karmaveer Puraskaar’ award. She is associated with Shiksha, an NGO that promotes children’s education. She was also selected the brand ambassador for Pratham, a children’s charity organization.
Estimated Net Worth
Kajol’s Net Worth is about $24 Million.