Smart Cookie

Kajal Agarwal is a clever young girl who is very ambitious and goes about her career with the astuteness of a professional chess player.



The petite star's clever strategy helped her land Magadheera, the most successful film in Telugu cinema.



Kajal is now applying the same tactics in Tamil cinema and Bollywood as well. In Tamil, she has Maatran opposite Suriya and in Bollywood, after Singham with Ajay Devgn which was a huge hit, she is sitting pretty.



Kajal somehow managed to bag the role that Anushka Shetty had played in the Tamil original of Singam that had Suriya in the lead.



Her role model is Kajol, Ajay's wife and a superstar in her own right. Kajal did not get to meet Kajol though she really wanted to, but it is certain that the two will get along because both have beauty and brains.

Marathi Teacher...

When Ajay Devgan was struggling to speak proper Marathi, his wife Kajol immediately landed for his help.

Kajol being a half Marathi taught her husband how to deliver perfect

Ajay Devgan's upcoming fim ‘Singham’ directed by Rohit Shetty’s is creating a lot of buzz among the movie-goers, especially Ajay Devgan’s tough role as a cop with 6 pack abs and his Marathi diction.

Ajay needed to speak in fluent Marathi for his role and he wanted it to be totally perfect. He turned to his wife kajol who was more than happy and excited to help Ajay in polishing his Marathi diction. Kajol taught Ajay a few words and their pronunciation in few minutes.

Rohit Shettty's ‘Singham’ is a remake of the tamil blockbuster of the same title that has debutante Kajal Agarwal apposite Ajay.

A pregnant actor can not do justice to "Heroine"

Just a day after Madhur Bhandarkar wrote a detailed blog about the shelving of his ambitious project Heroine following Aishwarya Rai Bachchan's pregnancy, the writer of the film Anuraadha Tewari express her views on the matter which seems to have been blown out of proportion. Here is what she has posted on her social networking profiles.

I think this one has to be the non debate of the century. I mean I can't believe it's become about gender discrimination – my first reaction was huh??

This is the VISUAL medium. Unlike any other profession, this is work where writers and directors 'visualize' things and break their backs trying to make it all real or believable or both. Am not even harping on glamour, am just saying believable. The character in 'Heroine' (since I have written it) CANNOT be pulled off by someone pregnant. It is as SIMPLE as that. Forget the physical strain and emotional stress and all that jazz, we can keep debating that ad nauseum . . . it simply does NOT fit into THIS role. This is a strictly adult film with mature content (no it's not porn). It's just bold in the visual and mature in what it's depicting.

Of course, people have gone on about it without knowing ANYTHING about the script. But surely knowing the kind of cinema the Director is known for, I can assure you it is NOT nice, even for an informed audience member like me to see a pregnant woman drink and smoke and snort coke and sleep with various people. I would cringe, seriously I would! Much like if I knew Malaika Arora was pregnant while doing Munni Badnaam (not before and after), or Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct . Or Hema Malini in Sholay as Basanti or Kareena Kapoor in We Are Family while the other actress in both the Films (Jaya and Kajol) was pregnant – cause it didn't get in the way of their roles . . . simple.

It is about creative liberty and NOT about desirability in Motherhood that it's suddenly been turned into. OF COURSE Malaika is hot even now, post motherhood. Most Hollywood actresses are! What's sex appeal got to do with Motherhood anyways??? Rani isn't considered hot without being married or a mother, Malaika is hot with both . . . so??? Am just amazed that we have such short attention spans that anything that is said in a high pitch with authority becomes the truth . . . I mean really!!!

As for the contentious pregnancy clause... well, I am personally all for it. Because it's a CLAUSE not a LAW! No one is saying that there should be a law stating that no actress can ever be a Mother. It is a clause that may be needed in a certain Film. I think that should be left to the Producers as well as the actress. Actors include clauses of their own (some of them would really kill you!) so why not one from the makers' side. The actress can REFUSE if she doesn't find it important or applicable or offensive or whatever. She has a Choice. But here is what the clause protects – not just the Producers' money but the hard work of an ENTIRE unit. People seem to be forgetting that altogether! Like in the case of 'Heroine' where because of the actress not fitting into the role anymore, the Film gets plugged and at least a 100 technicians find themselves jobless. All of us employed for the next 6 months (not writers but the others) are suddenly without work and NO MONEY!!! (Even writers are only paid about 50% before shoot). So the situation is not just responsible for the Makers. It is so for the ENTIRE unit – the true victims of the case.

Having said all of this, and in no mood to mud sling and as the only woman on the team I must state that I am quite CONVINCED that the intention of the Actress was NOT to be unfair or dishonest. I personally think (and have said so earlier) she was genuinely warm and receptive and TRULY CARED for the script. However, my sense is that she was caught in a personal situation – a very tricky one at that and perhaps hoped that it would all work out in the end, especially, since I have no doubts on her dedication and sincerity to the Film. My feeling is that it sort of got baldy handled from the announcement onwards. Even after that things could have been sorted from both ends and, knowing the Director, if sorted amicably, there is no DOUBT in my head that he would have waited for her to return.

What saddened and intensely angered me were the planted stories thereafter (I must congratulate the PR though . . . it's a great job done, seriously!) to try and fudge and confuse the issue and getting gender into it. But am over that now... past the anger and past the frustration of watching 4 months of hard work, sleepless nights and missing life for a script DESIGNED for someone to go down the drain overnight. Knowing that my market value itself will suffer because of a shelved project . . . I am done with that and moved on and let go.

In this business, and otherwise, the only thing one can be is being true to one's craft and retain one's integrity and keep up the passion no matter what. Hopefully we have all done that and now let go knowing the Universe will do the right thing... do the needful. Like it always does :)

Kajol to hit Television again. .

Actress Kajol, who’s apparently going easy on films following the birth of her second child, may however make a concession for television it is learned. Buzz is that the actor is one of the strong contenders to do the second season of a popular food show that was first hosted by actor Akshay Kumar. The actor had recently confirmed that he would not be doing the second season as it clashed with another television show that he is currently hosting.

Following reports of Akshay not doing the show, rumour mills went abuzz with names that were likely to replace Akki, one of them being filmmaker-actor, Farhan Akhtar. But the latest is that actor Kajol too is being considered for the show. She apparently is in talks with the channel who approached her for the show.

“It is true that Farhan is also being considered for the show, but Kajol has an upper hand here as she’salways had a family image. It’ll be easier for the audience to accept her as a host after Akshay, whose plus point was that he was a chef himself. Farhan on the contrary has a multifaceted image and has already hosted a show earlier, but this show’s format is to do with food. Kajol, being a wife and mother, has a stronger identity that’ll blend with food and kitchen. Besides, she also has a higher mass appeal than Farhan.” says a source.

Should Kajol do the show?, it would be interesting to see her hosting the show at a time when hubby actor Ajay Devgn has agreed to host a show on another channel. But this isn’t the first time that Kajol, will be on the tube as the actor was earlier a judge on a dance show along with hubby Ajay and mom Tanuja.

Ajay's Fidelity

Bollywood is one place where people take it for granted that relationships are most fickle. And if gossip columns are to be believed then some actor is cheating on his or her girlfriend or spouse almost everyday. But actor Ajay Devgn, begs to differ and says that things can be hunky dory between a couple if they work towards making it that way. Ajay, who is married to actor Kajol for about a decade now, believes that once a person makes a commitment to another, they should honour it for a lifetime.

The actor recently went on a reality show and when he was quizzed if it was natural for a man to cheat on his spouse if a ‘hot’ girl approached him and caught him unawares, Ajay denied the entire theory.

A source who was present on the sets of the reality show that puts one partner’s loyalty to test, says that Ajay endorsed the idea of commitment to the core. “He was taken aback when he saw youngsters treat cheating as just another fad and said that if a person truly honoured his relationship, he should consider his love unbreakable. It was nice to hear a much married man, from the film industry give some sane advice for a change,” says the source.

“You are either in a committed relationship or you’re not. You can’t be committed to someone and also consider options outside the relationship. The whole idea of getting ‘carried away’ by someone else’s charm, while in a relationship, is absolutely ridiculous!” said Ajay while passionately talking about the importance of fidelity in a relationship in today’s day and age.

“Ajay looks like he has very modern views and he probably does. But when it comes to basic issues, he is a traditional man and he proved it by reprimanding a girl who was cheating on her boyfriend. Let’s hope she takes his advice seriously.”

Kajol-SRK to recreate magic

Kajol was recently spotted at the YRF studios and sources claim that it wasn’t just an impromptu visit. Speculations are rife that Kajol is in talks with the YRF people for a film that also stars Shahrukh Khan.

As per reports, Yash Chopra’s comeback directorial venture after Veer Zara will have Shahrukh and Katrina Kaif in main lead. But there is also a scope for another actress in the film and for which Yash Raj would be happy to get associated with Kajol, yet again.

The insiders are also not ruling out the possibility of the film being a love triangle. Though Katrina Kaif is the star of the film, Kajol too might have a good role in it. “Chopra is very keen to have Kajol opposite Shah Rukh. He is quite fond of both of them and loves their onscreen pairing. He feels that they can create the same magic,” the source is quoted as saying by a tabloid.

Perhaps Kajol might do a cameo, like she did in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Generally, celebs are approached for the cameos once the movie is fully shot or is in post production to add a star value to it. But does a film with Shahrukh Khan and Katrina in lead needs star value! We doubt it.

So wait for the announcement from YRF while we pray to see Kajol and Shahrukh together on silver screen.

Shashi, Waheeda honoured with Padma Bhushan titles

Bollywood veterans Shashi Kapoor, Waheeda Rehman and actresses Tabu and Kajol are among the cine artistes chosen for the 2011 Padma awards announced today, with the country's second highest civilian award, Padma Vibhushan, going to Telugu thespian A Nageshwara Rao.

Yesteryears superstars Kapoor, 72, and Rehman, 74, along with 83-year-old music composer Khayyam, have been conferred with the Padma Bhushan, with Rao, 86, being honoured with the Vibhushan.

Kajol, 35, Tabu, 40, along with Irrfan Khan, 48, and singer Usha Uthup, 63, will receive a Padma Shri.

Kannada filmmakers Girish Kasaravalli, 61, and Malayalam director Shaji Karun, 59, have been honoured with the Padma Shri.

Playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, 64, has been chosen for a Padma Bhushan.

Padma Shri honour goes to Kajol

Talented Bollywood actress Kajol, and versatile actors Tabu and Irrfan Khan were named for the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour on the eve of Republic Day Tuesday.

Daughter of veteran actress Tanuja and late Bengali filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, Kajol made her Bollywood debut with not so successful movie Bekhudi in 1992 at the age of 17.

But the 35-year-old tasted commercial success with her second outing Baazigar where she shared the screen with Shah Rukh Khan for the first time and after that there was no looking back for the actress. She gave hit after hit like Karan Arjun, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and most recently My Name Is Khan. Kajol is married to Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn and they have two children.

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Kajol Devgan

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Name: Kajol Devgan
Bith Day : 5 August, 1975
Birth Place : Mumbai
Father name : Tanuja Devgan
Mother Name : Shomu Mukherjee

Kajol sutdied in St Joseph Convent in Pachgani in Maharashtra and not many would know that she was the head girl of that school and even then she had attention in school activites and dancing. She then left the school to follow her acting career at the age of seventeen.

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Kajol’s first release was bekhudi in 1992, which curved out to be a major dissatisfaction for her. But the very next year with her co-star being then rising star, Shahrukh Khan, the name of the movie was Baazigar and that movie proved to be her first achievement and as history has it Kajol and Shahrukh went on the star in many runaway success movies of Bollywood cinema. Movies Such as Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge(starring Kajol, Shahrukh Khan, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, Anupam Kher, Karan Johar, Satish Shah and more ), Karan Arjun(starring- Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Mamta Kulkarni, Raakhee, Amrish Puri, Johnny Lever and Ranjeet) and also Kuch Kuck Hota Hai starred both of them as a combine and in real life too both of them are very good friends. In a sense Shahrukh also owes Kajol a lot for his success as his teaming with her brought him success too.
She did not do many films in the year 1996. In 1997, she played a villainous role in Rajiv Rai's murder mystery 'Gupt' and became the first woman to win the Filmfare Best Villain Award. Then she was again paired with Ajay Devgan in Indra Kumar's romantic comedy, 'Ishq' which was a huge commercial hit. But the same year, 'Sapnay', a remake of the Tamil hit 'Minsaara Kanavu' with Arvind Swamy and Prabhu Deva, failed at the box office.

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She also had a main success in each of the schedule years in the later part of the 1990’s. Films like Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge directed by Karan Johar, released in 1995, Gupt at large in 1997 was another feather in the cap for her and the series of hits had by then established her as one the most bankable heroines of Bollywood. In the same year she has another success to her name – Ishq starring reverse Ajay Devgan whom she would later on go on to marry. 1998 was an even bigger year, Kuch Kuck Hota Hai was released and the movie swept the box office. The movie also bagged her the Film Fare award for the Best Actress in a most important role. In the same year again co-starring with Ajay Devgan, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha was released and it was another in the long list of box office success for Kajol. One of her another movie in 1998 was hit. This movie was "Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya" written and directed by Sohail Khan, the film stars his real-life brothers Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan beside Kajol herself and Dharmendra in essential roles.

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In 2001, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham(starring Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachcha, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor, Alok Nath and more) hit the movie screens, produced by Karan Johar it helped Kajol become one of the all time most flourishing actresses Bollywood has ever witnessed. All in all kajol has four Film Fare award for best actress to her credit creation it a no mean attainment and only her aunt the great Nutan has more at 5 Film Fare awards.

Kajol might not have had the same oomph about her or the glamorous roles that would do the rounds of the gossip grapevine in the country but that really never mattered to her, most probably she considered it of lesser importance. She might not be talked as frequently by most men as some of the other actresses but what she lacks she more than packs the rest with a mighty punch of powerful acting and dedication and effort can clearly be observed in movies. Some scripts require for a strong portray of a character and this where high caliber actors like Kajol are needed in Bollywood. Like the depiction of a blind girl who falls in love with a Kashmiri boy fighting for separation in her comeback movie ‘Fana’ in 2006. She proved to one and all that the way a painter cannot forget to hold a brush in his hands after being a long time away the same way a good actresses cannot forget acting.

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She got married to Ajay Devgan on February 24th 1999 and thereafter took a complete break from her qualified when her daughter was born in 2003. In 2008 she has a sequence of releases lined up and the first should be U Me Aur Hum along side hubby Ajay. The movie is set for an April release. There are more along side Shahrukh, Saif Ali Khan and others. Surely her second innings will be as successful as the first one and she shall be one of the most important actresses of all time in Bollywood.