EXCLUSIVE: Kajol Recalls Mother Tanuja Working ‘WORST’ 20+ Hour Long Shifts; Says, “Told Her I’ll Never Work Like You”

Kajol is an actress. She is one of the top 90s actresses who continues to be a fan favourite. Her debut film was Bekhudi (1992). Some of her best-known films include Baazigar (1993), Yeh Dillagi (1994), Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Bubble, Kajol revealed how her mother, Tanuja, worked for a 20-hour shift and credits the actress to being a better parent.

Kajol On Carrying Parents’ Legacy

When asked if it’s a challenge to carry forward your parents, Tanuja and Shomu’s legacy, Kajol said, “I was actually on the opposite end of that spectrum. I used to say to my mother, ‘I will never work like you,’ because I was very clear about it. I had seen my mother working the worst shifts. And, I saw her working from 7 a.m. to 2 o’clock the next morning, then coming home, taking a bath, going to sleep, and waking up again at 6:30 or 7 to leave for work. That was her life while she was working. And then there were periods where she wasn’t working at all, so it was a completely imbalanced phase.”

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She continued, “I remember my mom struggling through it, and I remember us children watching her, because she didn’t want to leave us either. No mother wants to go away for months and months. And then comes the mom guilt again. But she did it. So I used to tell her, ‘I’ll never work like you. First of all, you don’t make enough money, let me be honest, and secondly, your working hours are terrible. I want to do a proper 9-to-6 job where I get a paycheck at the end of the month.”

Further added, “At least then I’ll know that I’m secure for the next six months.’ That’s where it all started. But then I did my first film, and after that, I began to think, ‘Why am I waiting for a paycheck?’ My paycheck will come, and it will work out. And after that, I stopped worrying about the paycheck.”

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Kajol On Mother Tanuja And Her Support

Speaking of her decision-making and clearing her path, Kajol credits Tanuja, her mother. She said, “I have my mother to thank for that because she always supported me in my choices. I remember when I was 13, she sat me down and said, ‘Beta, now you’re 13 years old. I’ve taught you, mothered you, and made decisions for you until now. But now it’s time for you to start learning what decision-making involves. It involves responsibility. Every decision you make, the credit and the discredit, belong to you.'”

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She added, “So from today, if you get slapped for it, remember: you were the one who made the decision. ‘And I was like, ‘I was only 13!’ And she said, ‘Well, that won’t stop the slap!’ So if you’re going to get into trouble, think about it. Make your decisions knowing the consequences. If you’re ready to take the hit, then go ahead. Take full responsibility for whatever you’re doing; nobody else can do that for you. Whether it was about starting to work, getting married, or anything, those decisions were mine. Yes, my mother sat down with me, talked it through, and said, ‘Baby, are you sure? You need to be sure. Have you thought it through? Is it right for you?'”

Kajol On Her Decisions

Concluding, she said, “And I did think it through, and whatever decisions I’ve made, touch wood, she’s always supported me. She never put me down for them. I have so, so, so much to thank my mother for. She taught me how to be a better parent, how to be a better person, and how to navigate a world that’s always going to try to tell you who to be. And I hope and pray, I really pray, that I’ve managed to do the same with my kids. I hope and pray that I’ve proven it to myself, kind of. But they’re still a little young, kacche limbu hai, thoda time lagega pakne ke liye.”

Watch The Full Interview

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