Kajol’s iconic roles in ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai‘ (KKHH) and ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge‘ (DDLJ) have sparked much discussion over the years, especially regarding the choices her characters made. In KKHH, audiences were captivated by the charm of Salman Khan‘s character, Aman, but ultimately, Kajol’s character Anjali chose Shah Rukh Khan‘s Rahul, a decision that has been labeled as a “toxic choice” by Kajol herself.
In a recent appearance on Expresso, Kajol humorously acknowledged the complexity of her choice in KKHH. She stated, “It was correct script-wise,” indicating that while her character’s decision may not align with ideal relationship standards, it served the narrative of the film effectively. When discussing her role as Simran in DDLJ, Kajol revealed that she often disagreed with Simran’s decisions. She remarked, “I didn’t agree with Simran in a lot of places. ” When Kriti Sanon highlighted that Shah Rukh Khan’s Raj fasted for Simran on Karwa Chauth, to which Kajol responded, “Haan toh? I don’t understand why people have to starve themselves. Bhookha kisko rehna hai?”
In response to questions about whether she feels guilty for influencing such traditions, Kajol firmly stated, “Not at all! I don’t feel guilty for all these things.” Kajol’s perspective reflects a broader conversation about feminism and self-perception among women. She stated, “Women feel pressure because they put pressure on themselves. Have you seen Barbie? I love the rant that she does. I feel all these pressures we women take upon ourselves. Most of our pressures are what we term as the ‘good girl effect’. We want to be good women, and that’s what we’ve been taught since the time we were probably in our mothers’ wombs. Feminism has nothing to do with a man; it has to do with a woman, and how she sees herself. If I see myself as beautiful, strong, and balanced, then I am beautiful, strong and balanced. Nobody in this world can convince me otherwise.”
Kajol is set to appear alongside Kriti Sanon in ‘Do Patti‘, which will be released on OTT this Friday.
Kajol Retorts to Journalist’s Betrayal Inquiry; Declares Herself ‘Asli Singham’