Kajol in all her glory—untamed, unfiltered, unforgettable

When you say Kajol, I vividly remember Mere Khwabon Mein Jo Aaye from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)—21-year-old Kajol wrapped in an off-white bath towel, singing to her heart’s delight. Growing up, I must have enacted that scene a million times in my bathroom, much to my mother’s dismay as bath time became an elaborate performance.That song still resonates, a reminder of the ’90s, of discovering cinema in its most magical form, and of the arrival of an actress who would redefine what it meant to be a star.

Kajol was never porcelain-perfect. She did not fit into the airbrushed ideals that Bollywood held onto so tightly. Instead, she was dusky, fiery, and unforgettable, her unibrow a quiet act of rebellion before we even had the lexicon for it. In Baazigar (1993), she gave heartbreak a face that was raw and relatable. In Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), she transformed dungarees and headbands into every girl’s dream wardrobe. In Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), she made chiffon saris swirl across Egyptian deserts with a mix of glamour and humour that was uniquely hers.And then there were the thrillers like Gupt (1997) and Dushman (1998)—films that felt too dark and complex for me to grasp as a child, but which I now recognise as daring choices, proof of a filmography that defied easy categorisation.

Kajol has always broken stereotypes—not with intention, but with instinct. She simply did what felt right.Her career has been a masterclass in authenticity. Over the phone, her voice carries that same no-nonsense warmth: Direct and assured. She isn’t “friendly” in the easy, social sense; she is clear, firm, and knows exactly what she wants. Watching her on set for our cover shoot, it was the same. She owned the room quietly, effortlessly. Even as she insists, she has never been swayed by fashion, she has always, inadvertently, been a fashion icon. From the halter dresses of DDLJ—which we reimagined for this shoot—to the dungarees of KKHH, her filmography doubles up as a style archive of an era that shaped an entire generation.

When I asked her to describe herself in the ’90s, she smiles:“Untamed.”And today?“Slightly grown up,”she says after a pause, laughing at the understatement. For Kajol, what stands out most about her early days in the industry is not the stardom but the camaraderie.“I loved the people, the environment, the sense of family,”she recalls.The camera, meanwhile, was always second nature.“I never had that moment of clicking with it because I was always comfortable.” Perhaps that explains why she still commands attention on-screen without ever seeming to try—a rare quality that sets her apart even now.

Her perspective on the industry’s evolution is sharp.“The biggest difference is that today, you’re not just an icon.You’re a brand, a persona, almost a business,” she says. Back then, stardom was about one person and their work on-screen. Today, it extends far beyond. Does the old magic of stardom exist? “Definitely not,” she admits. But she is quick to point out the gains.“Earlier, a heroine’s career might last 20 or 30 years. Now she can keep working forever—there’s no stopping it.”

That longevity has served Kajol well. She has embraced streaming with the same instinct that shaped her early choices. From Tribhanga (2021) to TheTrial (2023), her foray into OTT has shown her ability to slip into layered, complex characters—women written in shades of grey, unapologetically flawed, defiantly human. Just as she once played characters who were not always “likeable” but definitely compelling, Kajol continues to choose roles that interest her, not those that fit into the mould.“I never thought of them as bold,” she tells me of Gupt and Dushman.“They were simply interesting to me. Even today, that’s how I decide—if it doesn’t interest me, I won’t do it.”

It’s this refusal to conform that makes her timeless. At 51, Kajol embraces her agefully. “I love it,”she laughs. “It gives me the leeway to say I’m a veteran. Not everyone has the privilege of getting older—it’s freeing.” Growing up in the public eye has given her perspective: “People have seen me at 16 and now at 50, through every phase—pregnancy, fat, thin, long hair, short hair. My whole life has been on record. And it makes you realise this too shall pass.Whether it’s an airport look or a hit film, both are temporary. What matters is the life you build, and the people around you.”

Authority, she admits, has come with time.“Confidence, I always had. But today, I know exactly what I’m doing, exactly how I want to do it.The questions are clearer, so the answers are clearer too.” That clarity has extended to her work-life balance as well. Unlike many of her peers, she never succumbed to the relentless schedules of the ’90s.“One shift at a time, one film at a time—my mother was clear, and so was I. Holidays were non-negotiable. And after my kids, I slowed down even more. I wanted to enjoy every part of life, not just one.”

Her relationship with fashion has also evolved. “Back then it was just comfort—what I could or couldn’t wear. I only began thinking about fashion later, when I realised I should have an opinion. If someone asked me what I wanted to wear, I needed to have an answer.” Today, her staples remain simple and true: “Jeans and an oversized white shirt.” Effortless, unapologetic, and timeless—much like her.

Kajol has never been one to chase glossy ideals of beauty. “I hope when girls look at me, they think, if she can be herself, I can be too,” she shares. For her, beauty now is simply “owning who you are.” Off-screen, she continues to nourish herself with books—most recently, The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. And when I ask what the word “icon” means to her, she answers without hesitation: “Someone original who retains their authenticity. My mother is 82 today, and she’s my icon. I hope to be like her.”

Kajol may call herself “slightly grown up” today, but for a generation, she will always be untamed, unforgettable, and unapologetically herself.From towel-clad songs to sari-swirling romances, from thrillers ahead of their time to powerful OTT characters, her career is proof that some stars don’t need to shout to shine. She continues to turn heads—whether on a set, on a cover, or simply walking into a room—because her presence has never been about polish, but about power.

Underrated perhaps, in how easily we take her consistency for granted. But make no mistake: Kajol will forever be an icon. Because she never tried to be anything else but herself.

Editor and Interview: Rasna Bhasin (@rasnabhasin)

Digital Editor: Sonal Ved (@sonalved)

Photographer: Farhan Hussain (@farhanhussain), Agency: Feat. Artists (@featartists)

Stylist: Ruhani Singh (@ruhani_s)

Cover Design: Mandeep Singh Khokhar (@mandy_khokhar19)

Editorial Coordinator: Shalini Kanojia (@shalinikanojia)

Make-up Artist: Sandhya Shekar (@sandhyashekar)

Hair Artist: Mitesh Rajani (@miteshrajani)

Set Design: Janhavi Patwardhan (@artnut_j)

Photographer Assistant: Sumaiya Sayed (@sumaiapapaia)

Hair Artist Assistant: Rishita Hindocha (@rishita.hindocha)

Fashion Assistant: Preeti Venkatesh (@mogra.and.the.moon)

Artist PR Agency: Tree-Shul Media Solutions (@treeshulmediasolutions)

Kajol is wearing Shirt and jacket; Gucci (@gucci)