Kajol Devgan

Kajol Devgan

(née Mukherjee) (born 5 August 1974), better known as Kajol, is an Indian film actress appearing in Hindi films. She is regarded as one of India's most successful and talented female actors.[2][3] During her career, Kajol has received six Filmfare Awards, among eleven nominations and along with her late aunt Nutan, holds the record for most Best Actress wins at the Filmfare Awards, with five. In 2011, the Government of India honoured her with the Padma Shri for her contribution to Indian Cinema.[4]

Kajol made her acting debut in the film Bekhudi (1992) and had her first commercial success with her second film Baazigar (1993) opposite Shahrukh Khan, later with whom she has done several popular movies such as Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). Her performances in all three of these films were praised and earned her Filmfare Awards for Best Actress. Some of her other films of this period include Yeh Dillagi (1994), Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997), Dushman and Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (both 1998).

After shooting for Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... in 2001, she took a sabbatical from full-time acting for five years in order to focus on her marriage. She made a comeback with Kunal Kohli's Fanaa (2006), for which she received another Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She continued working infrequently through the rest of the decade, playing leading roles in such films as U Me Aur Hum (2008), We Are Family and My Name Is Khan (both 2010). Her performance in the latter earned her a fifth Filmfare Award.

In addition to acting in films, Kajol is a social activist and was also featured as a talent judge for the Zee TV's dance and singing competition show Rock-N-Roll Family. She is married to fellow Indian actor Ajay Devgn, with whom she has two children.[2]Contents [hide]
1 Family and background
2 Career
2.1 Debut and success
2.2 Sabbatical and comeback
3 Media
4 Social work
5 Awards
6 Filmography
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

[edit]
Family and background
Main article: Mukherjee-Samarth family

Kajol was born in Mumbai of Bengali-Marathi descent. Her mother Tanuja is an actress, while her late father Shomu Mukherjee was a film director and producer. He died after suffering from a cardiac arrest in 2008.[5] Her maternal aunt is the late actress Nutan (with whom she holds the record for the most wins (five times) of the Filmfare Award for Best Actress) and her maternal grandmother Shobhna Samarth and great grandmother Rattan Bai had both been involved in Hindi cinema.

Her paternal uncles are film producers; Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee. Kajol's paternal grandfather, Sashadhar Mukherjee, was a filmmaker. Kajol's paternal grandmother, Satirani Devi, was sister of Ashok Kumar, Anoop Kumar and Kishore Kumar. Kajol's cousins Rani Mukerji, Sharbani Mukherjee and Mohnish Behl are also Bollywood actors; whereas her cousin Ayan Mukerji is a director. Kajol's younger sister Tanisha Mukherjee is also an actress.

Kajol married Bollywood actor Ajay Devgan on 24 February 1999. The couple has 2 children, a daughter named Nysa (born on 20 April 2003) and a son named Yug (born on 13 September 2010)