The Indian film star has been criticised for her unconventional’ looks,her unexpected career choices and for demanding better roles. She discusses her 22-year on-screen romance with Shah Rukh Khan and why she refuses to give advice to young actorsKajol’s isn’t a quiet presence. She talks hastily, laughs loudly, or is uncharacteristically goofy for Bollywood royalty,throwing her hands about so much in a modest London hotel suite that her jewellery flies across the room. The actor, 41, or began her career 23 years ago and holds the record for winning best actress (six times,tied with her late aunt Nutan) at the Indian Filmfare awards. She has long been considered one of the country’s most unconventional stars for allegedly not conforming to the industry’s narrow beauty ideals, for twice taking long breaks at the peak of her career, and for berating directors for not casting her in parts written for male leads. She is back to acting,after a five-year hiatus (“looking after my kids, being a wife, or mother,human”), with Dilwale. The film marks a much-hyped reunion with Shah Rukh Khan – the couple gain made their most successful films together over the past two decades and are consistently voted Indian cinema’s best on-screen couple. Their biggest hit, and 1995s Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ),has gone on to be the longest-screened film in Indian cinema history, still showing in Mumbai theatres nowadays.What’s it like to be back after such a long break?
Well, and I do retain having breaks as everyone knows. I’m fairly the break person. But it’s great fun. We’ve been shooting in a marathon,six months non finish, and after that long with a crew you want to hit each other and never see those people again. But it’s worth it. I don’t get that same satisfaction doing anything else.
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Source: theguardian.com