DNA EXCLUSIVE! 'You aren't planning to pay me': Kajol's reaction on Ajay Devgn offering her Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior

Nervousness started kicking at the moment I was told I will be interviewing Kajol for 'Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior'. Like many, meeting her was always on my bucket list but I made sure to not show it on my face. However, until the time I met her, I calmed myself, imagining her as her character Anjali from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. The moment I met her, Kajol was having her lunch and excused herself. All my nervousness vanished when I saw her and I waited patiently until she finished her lunch.

The actor was sweet to offer me her food, but my lunch plan was already sorted and it was Kajol's interview! We sat down and with every question, the actor's twinkling eyes and infectious smile made me happier. In between, she complimented my outfit and I blushed. While talking about Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, I could see how proud she is of the film. Moreover, Kajol looked absolutely in love and proud of Ajay Devgn as a husband, co-star and producer too...

Excerpts...

Was it Ajay Devgn, the producer or Om Raut, the director who approached you for the role?

Ajay Devgn, the producer and the husband. So basically, he was like, there's this film that, I want to do and that we discussed it, etc. And then he was like, there's this character of his wife, which is fantastic. And I think, only you can do it. I told him 'I know why you want me to do this film because Ghar ki murgi dal barabar.' (laughs) 'You are not planning to pay me for the film. You just want me to do the film because it's easy'. Then he said, 'No, no, it's a fabulous character, you hear the script and then tell me if you want to do it or not'. I heard the script and I love the idea. I loved her character in the film. It's a very strong and very powerful character. I loved the idea behind it and it's an episodic film. There's not much of her, she's not all over the film, but she's a very prominent part of the film. And so I was like, Okay, I'll agree to do it.

What made you say yes to play this historical role?

It's just her overall, Savitri and all the characters in the film are very well defined. Even Saif's character for that matter is pure black. He's not trying to save a child and save a sparrow at the end of the film and redeem himself. Ajay's all white. Then you have Savitri's character which is very well defined. She's a mother, a wife, a loyalist, a Shivaji loyalist. Her every structure is clear to her in her mind. So is her Faith in her husband. I loved the scenes between them that are there and all that, it's so nicely written and so very thought of. So I love the idea behind her as well.

Your first look was much awaited, I was also amongst those who were looking forward to it. So how happy are you with the responses you received?

I got a lot of responses. My mom was like 'You look so much like your great grandmother. There's a picture that I put on Instagram of my great grandmother and my mum at my Mama's wedding where both are seen wearing this nauvari saree with jewellery, it was so amazing. I could see this suddenly, in a very weird way, you feel like they are your ancestors and you feel a little disconnected from them. Maybe because of the time maybe because of clothes, maybe because our thought processes are very different today. But suddenly you feel completely connected. You just feel like 'I know what she felt like'. Every morning when I got dressed and I went in front of the mirror, I would look at myself and I saw Savitri in the mirror because it was not me didn't look anything like me. Savitri did not look like a woman who understood the P of packs. It's amazing, it was just a character that came to life.

 November 18, 2019

This is the first time you played a historical character. What took you so long to play one?

Honestly, I wasn't offered as many historical characters. Also, the ones that were offered, I didn't think for me, it lived up to my expectations. So it didn't work out.

It's been almost a decade since you and Ajay worked together on the big screen. Has the dynamics changed on the sets?

Nothing has changed touch wood. We're still the same we still are familiar comfortable. The one good thing that I love about him as a co-star is that he is 50% a co-star and 50% a director also. When he's sitting opposite me and he's giving a shot also with me or were doing a scene together, half his mind is over there and he's like, 'I think you should do one more and this because I think you can do this better. So I'm grateful to have that in front of me as well to work with as well.

Are you a director's actor?

Yes, I'm a director's actor. Yes, of course, if I feel at times that the person opposite me can do something better or if I have an idea that has not struck them, then I will say so which can benefit them. I feel that only when everybody is good in the film, then I look good as well in the film I think. It's a very selfish thought but yeah I think everybody needs to shine along with me.

It seems like you don't share screen space with Saif Ali Khan in the film. But did you both catch up on the sets?

We did but not on the sets so much. I wasn't there on the sets when he was there. We recently went for the promotions in Delhi and we were like 'Oh my god, I am seeing you after so long, etc'. It was fun.

What kind of prep did you go for the role?

Om was very well prepared. There was nothing really that I had to do per se, besides go up on set and figure out my lines. I was a bit worried about how everything would look because I was not sure whether I had the body language right. I wasn't sure the way she talks or whatever, wasn't sure about how that would look. But eventually, when I saw it on-screen when I was dubbing it, it all worked out.

Is Ajay Devgn a different person when he is an actor or a producer?

Not at all. The one thing that I find amazing about him is that he is one of those actors who takes his producers very seriously. Maybe because he is a producer and has been a producer for so many years, and maybe because his father was producing as well before that. The fact that he was a stunt master's son. He's on the other side, he's not on the actor side. He started from the other side in films. So I think he's always considered it that no, it's their money, it's their time, I have to be careful, have to be considerate, have to be on time and have to work hard. I find that a very professional and amazing quality about him.

What's your take on movie promotions?

It is exhausting. It's worse doing promotions, I think it's the downside of doing a film for sure no two ways about it. Not because we don't like it or we don't like getting dressed up but it's so hectic. So much of talking and it's so much interacting with so many different people that I think it just as it's exhausting on a personal level.