About to have her second child, Kajol says the highs and lows of being a mum have made her a patient person

Embracing motherhood usually means braving experiences and challenges. But before a woman takes on her new role as a parent, it is the pregnancy that transforms her in more ways than she can explain. Kajol, who is pregnant the second time round, agrees completely.

“When I first found out I was pregnant, I was very scared and nervous and I wasn’t sure whether it would go through or not. It altered my self-perception completely. You become the centre of your own world and  everything else around you becomes a blur,” Kajol says.

One always has an image of a mother, based on the social and cultural definitions. While it seems like an overwhelming role, it’s difficult to associate with it initially. Kajol faced a similar dilemma, “I’ve always thought that pregnant women were like goddesses. And in that perspective,  I couldn’t picture myself as a goddess.”

The Emotional Rollercoster

Eventually you begin to accept the role, but it’s just the beginning of the journey. One that is packed with insecurities, anxieties and uncertainties. “You think twice about everything. Even with simple things like taking a walk, I would wonder if it would harm my baby or hurt me in any way. Every third day I’d call the doctor to check if I’m doing it right. You’re frightened to do anything and I learnt how to deal with that fear. The power of your mind is just amazing,” explains Kajol.

Every phase of pregnancy offers a new emotion and thrill. Kajol experienced the entire gamut. “My husband, sister and mother saw me through this transition and were rooting for me. As the days pass, you slowly pass from being insecure to scared to little more confident to more confident and then you’re sailing and then you’re about to pop it and then again you don’t know what you’re doing all over again. It’s like being re-born and growing up again,” she says with a smile.

The Transformation

Like every journey makes you the person you become, Kajol credits her pregnancy for having made her the woman she is today. “My journey helped me reflect and discover that my temper was much worse than I thought it was (laughs). When you have a baby, you feel that you have channelled your energy into something constructive. That gives you immense satisfaction,” she says.

About to begin her second innings as a mother, Kajol feels more confident and believes that every time is a new experience. “I feel much healthier mentally than I did earlier. Also, I can anticipate things with pleasure instead of dread. This time, I learnt that I am definitely a goddess for sure! (when I am pregnant, at least),” she laughs.

For mothers-to-be, Kajol has a final tip, “Every other mother may seem more in control than you. But at the end of the day, everyone is in the same boat. So you’re not the only one to have doubts, to be scared witless and feel insecure. So go ahead and have this amazing experience that god has  gifted you with and experience it fully.”

Source : Mumbai Mirror

In a candid mood, Kajol tells us that family is priority while films break the monotony

As in her films, Kajol’s entry in reality too makes heads turn. She enters her husband Ajay Devgn’s office in Juhu, Mumbai, and greets us with a loud ‘Hello’, flashing her oh-so-famous radiant smile. Sporting a simple pink gown, she looks as bereft of stress in her eighth month of pregnancy, as of any obvious make-up. “I don’t worry about things which I cannot change, so I’m cool,” she says.

The promotion of We Are Family (an adaptation of Hollywood blockbuster Stepmom) is keeping her busy, but she adds, “Nothing can distract you from being pregnant. It is 24×7. Unlike now, was very nervous the first time around.”

She admits to have loved
Devgn’s Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai and seems upbeat about her performance in We Are Family. “I personally don’t think remaking films is a good idea. There is a magic to a film that cannot be replicated. But We Are Family is very Indianised and has a completely different take on relationships. Only the premise has been borrowed from Stepmom,” she explains. First-time director Siddharth P Malhotra approached her with the movie post My Name Is Khan, when Kajol was looking for a break. “Even after I liked the script, I wasn’t convinced about doing a film. I asked him to return in three months. But when he persisted, I gave in,” says the actress, who has a word of praise for Malhotra as well as her co-star Kareena Kapoor, who she feels has become thinner and more professional since their last outing Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

The role did have its share of challenges though, as Kajol admits that it was a tad tedious to handle the three kids she plays mother to in the film. “They are from different age groups and hence had varied demands. It was crazy on the sets,” she recalls. However being a mother to seven-year-old Nysa does help and right now the actress is excited about the new addition to the family. “Nysa feels she cannot hug me properly, but she has made peace with it.” Talking about her daughter always puts Kajol in a pleasant mood and she continues to share anecdotes. “Nysa has seven cousin brothers. So she wants a sister now to even up the odds,” she laughs. Will she return as a director? “Do I look like the kind who will pay to get an ulcer in my stomach?” she giggles and tells us that her return to the big screen will take a while. “Right now, I am not thinking of work. I am being selfish and just thinking about myself.”

Source: India Express

By Devansh Patel, August 27, 2010 – 11:36 IST

Kajol The phrase “a rare talent” describes Kajol to a tee. In her case, it shows: there’s a zest and verve to her work that not only suits her, but clearly suits her fans as well. It’s a rare talent who finds herself at the zenith of her popularity at the age when Indian actresses have either vanquished in the oblivion or have stopped getting the main lead offers. Given the traditional paucity of fine roles for more mature women, this is proof positive that Kajol’s talent can often turn manure into gold-dust. She may not have earned the tag of ‘The highest paid actress’ today but everyone recognises that a Kajol movie will be worth its weight in gold and worth an investment. Everyone knows this about Kajol: that the mantle of the most acclaimed film actress of our time could not be worn with such grace and humility. But everyone already knows that. What people don’t know is her kindness, her collaborative nature and her great humour. It is however, these unknown things which Kajol brings to her matchless performance. So much so that you forget being her co-actor and stand in one tight corner observing the magic she’s been spreading on the celluloid since 1992. UK’s Harrow Observer columnist and Bollywood Hungama’s London correspondent gets to know the woman who can fittingly be described as ‘seamless’.

“Siddharth wasn’t the only one who gave us suggestions”
Well that is not true. Altogether, there were other members in the crew as well; I was not the only one. If you are dealing with children in your real life, to an extent it helps you play a parent. You get the hang of the body language; you know how moms react, so your job gets slightly easy. Well, inputs can come from anyone and you needn’t really have a family to visualize something. So yes, we did have our fair share of brainstorming as any other film.

Kajol “Ajay and I never talk work at home”
No, we don’t inherently talk shop at home. We leave our work back on the sets.

“Arjun was a good reel life husband”
He was very accommodating. Arjun is a very nice person and a thorough gentleman. He was a good husband on the sets (laughs). He is a parent in real life too but I didn’t get a chance to sit down with him and discuss about parenting. I didn’t think it was needed to help the film. We both were natural in the film just like off it, as we both know what goes in the making to be a parent.

“I haven’t got Elvis Presley out of his grave, have I?”
Of course I have danced, and not just on ‘Jailhouse Rock’ but on quite a few numbers too. I’m a huge Elvis fan, grew up on rock n roll. I loved that retro era and listen to it a lot even today in my car.

“Kareena’s got a great sense of humour”
Lethal or not I can’t say. We have not killed each other (laughs); in fact we could have in this film as per the script’s demand. On a serious note, now she is a delight to work with, we had awesome fun and she has a sense of humour which helps when you work long hours.

Kajol “I don’t understand why people compare me with other actresses”
Kareena is undoubtedly a talented girl and very hardworking too. In fact she has come a long way from K3G. Kareena has matured as a person and a professional. I think it would be unfair to draw comparisons as it was a different era, the scripts she and I have been offered are all very different so I don’t see a fulcrum to hinge the comparison on.

“The little girl reminded me of Nysa a lot”
The kids were fabulous, brimming with energy and very smart. They were all well behaved and an absolute fun. The girl who plays my youngest child in the film reminded me of Nysa in a strange way.

“I wish Karan had merchandised We Are Family tissue rolls”
I hope realms and rolls of it (laughs). In fact Karan should have merchandised it. Imagine We Are Family branded tissue rolls??

“We Are Family will transcend beyond Stepmom”
It is very different. After all it is an Indian product, largely for the Indian diaspora. The premise of the film is Stepmom but it is smartly Indianized with Indian values and at the same time it is very contemporary. I quite believe that We Are Family will transcend beyond stepmom and carve its own identity.

“I don’t know how much of Karan’s inputs were there in scripting the film”
I really would not know that as I got a readymade bound script to read. Honestly, I really don’t know what went into weaving it. I’m sure Siddharth will be able to give you better inputs on this one. Karan was obviously involved in the capacity of a producer but he has a strong team in place now so he did not even need to frequent the sets.

Kajol “I play a mother, and that is the only common thread in MNIK and WAF”
Well, I can’t even remotely compare both the films and my characters. They are absolutely different story lines, different situations and individuals; of course the only common thread is that the woman in My Name Is Khan had a kid and in We Are Family has kids.

“I am open to new scripts and new directors”
I have always been open to new talent, but of course I need the right script in hand and somewhere down the line, there has to be one function in the unit which would be experienced to pad up the newcomer or else it is difficult to get the right product. A certain amount of strength is required in the form of experience for good work, which should reflect somewhere in the project. I have worked with so many new directors in my career. So the fact remains that I am open. But the script should sweep me off my feet and of course it should come to me at the right time.

Source: Bollywood Hungama

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