Mumbai — Actress Kajol has often spoken about the influence of her mother and veteran actress Tanuja on her own journey in cinema. During an earlier appearance on the popular chat show ‘Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai’, Kajol had praised her mother’s acting talent and described her as one of the most spontaneous performers she knew.
While discussing Tanuja’s work with host Farooq Sheikh, Kajol was asked how she rated her mother as an actress and what she considered to be her strengths and weaknesses.
Kajol responded with unreserved admiration, calling Tanuja a “fabulous actress” and particularly highlighting her spontaneity in front of the camera.
She recalled working with her mother in her very first film, ‘Bekhudi’, and admitted that the experience made her realise how far ahead Tanuja was in terms of acting ability.
Kajol said that when she first shared the screen with Tanuja, she felt that her mother was “worlds ahead” of her as an actor. Even years later, she believed Tanuja continued to be ahead of her in terms of instinctive performance.
For Kajol, it was Tanuja’s natural and spontaneous approach to acting that stood out the most.
“I think she is a fabulous actress. I really do. I really think that she is an absolutely fabulous actress. She is the most spontaneous actress that I know of,” Kajol had said.
She also reflected on how different their performances might have been had they worked together later in her career, suggesting that her own understanding of acting had evolved considerably since their first collaboration.
Kajol and Tanuja shared the screen in ‘Bekhudi’, released in 1992, which marked Kajol’s debut as an actress. Tanuja played the role of Kajol’s mother in the film, making their professional relationship a particularly memorable part of Kajol’s early career.
Kajol subsequently established herself as one of the leading actresses of Hindi cinema, delivering acclaimed and commercially successful performances in films including ‘Baazigar’, ‘Gupt’, ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’, ‘Fanaa’ and ‘My Name Is Khan’.
Looking back at her career, Kajol’s comments about Tanuja offer an interesting glimpse into the admiration she has always had for her mother — not only as a parent, but also as an actor whose natural screen presence left a lasting impression on her daughter.
With inputs from IANS