# Kajol (काजोल देवगन)
**Kajol** (काजोल देवगन) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in [Hindi cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/hindi-cinema), active since her 1992 debut and known for a run of 1990s romantic blockbusters with [Shah Rukh Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/shah-rukh-khan), six [Filmfare Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-awards), and the Padma Shri civilian honor conferred in 2011.[1](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol) • [2](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/) • [3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/bollywoods-honour-roll-kajol-tabu-irrfan-get-padma-shri/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Debut | *Bekhudi* (1992), directed by Rahul Rawail, opposite Kamal Sadanah; her mother Tanuja played her on-screen mother[1](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol) • [4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/helicopter-eela-actor-kajol-best-films-roles-5370562/lite/) |
| Breakthrough | *Baazigar* (1993) opposite Shah Rukh Khan, a major commercial success[1](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol) |
| Filmfare record | Six Filmfare Awards, including five Best Actress wins: *Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge* (1995), *Kuch Kuch Hota Hai* (1998), *Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...* (2001), *Fanaa* (2006), *My Name Is Khan* (2010), plus Best Performance in a Negative Role for *Gupt: The Hidden Truth* (1997)[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/) |
| Civilian honor | Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor, named on Republic Day 2011 and conferred that April[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/bollywoods-honour-roll-kajol-tabu-irrfan-get-padma-shri/) • [5](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/padma-awards-conferred-on-film-dignitaries/) |
| Family | Daughter of actress Tanuja and filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee; married to actor Ajay Devgn since 1999; sister of actress Tanishaa Mukerji[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/) |
| Streaming era | OTT debut with *Tribhanga* (2021), followed by *The Trial* (2023), *Lust Stories 2* (2023), *Do Patti* (2024), and the horror film *Maa* (2025)[7](https://www.hindustantimes.com/topic/kajol) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kajol-confirms-no-cameos-by-ajay-devgn-or-r-madhavan-in-maa-hints-at-possible-sequel/articleshow/121796582.cms) |
| Award tally | 46 wins and 71 nominations listed on IMDb[9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004418/awards/) |
## Early life and family
Kajol was born into a film family: her mother is the actress Tanuja and her father was the filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, and her younger sister Tanishaa Mukerji also became an actress.[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/) Her birth year is reported differently across sources: the Indian Express profile gives 5 August 1973,[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/) while Indian Film History, TV Guide, and other film-industry listings give 5 August 1974.[1](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol) • [10](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kajol/bio/3030234167/)
She studied at St. Joseph's Convent school in [Panchgani](https://www.edgepedia.org/panchgani), where she took part in dance and other extracurricular activities, and later attended [Mithibai College](https://www.edgepedia.org/mithibai-college).[11](https://www.imdb.com/hi/name/nm0004418/) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/) According to an IMDb biography, she began acting at sixteen while still in school and later left her studies to pursue a full-time film career.[11](https://www.imdb.com/hi/name/nm0004418/)
## 1990s: debut and stardom
**Debut.** *Bekhudi* (1992), directed by Rahul Rawail, was Kajol's entry into films and, by her own account, taught her the basics of filmmaking, from facing the camera to technical knowledge.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/helicopter-eela-actor-kajol-best-films-roles-5370562/lite/) • [12](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/learning-film-by-film-how-kajol-grasped-every-bit-of-the-craft-of-acting/articleshow/65935307.cms) The film was a box-office failure, but her performance was noticed.[1](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol)
Her breakthrough came with the Abbas–Mustan thriller *Baazigar* (1993), opposite Shah Rukh Khan, which emerged as a major commercial success and began a screen partnership that ran through *Karan Arjun* (1995), *[Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge](https://www.edgepedia.org/dilwale-dulhania-le-jayenge)* (1995), *Kuch Kuch Hota Hai* (1998), *Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...* (2001), *My Name Is Khan* (2010), and *[Dilwale](https://www.edgepedia.org/dilwale-2015-film)* (2015).[1](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol) • [13](https://hindi.asianetnews.com/gallery/celebs/kajol-birthday-actress-joined-bollywood-because-she-was-not-interested-in-studying-qxct86) *Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge*, in which she played Simran, brought her first Filmfare Best Actress award and became one of Hindi cinema's defining romances.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/) • [14](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a28848130/best-bollywood-movies/)
She also took unconventional roles in this period: a negative role as a psychopathic killer in *Gupt: The Hidden Truth* (1997), for which she won the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role, and an avenger in *Dushman* (1998).[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/) She has said she initially rejected *Dushman* because it contained a rape scene, and accepted only after director Tanuja Chandra and producer [Pooja Bhatt](https://www.edgepedia.org/pooja-bhatt) assured her the scene would be shot aesthetically with a body double.[12](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/learning-film-by-film-how-kajol-grasped-every-bit-of-the-craft-of-acting/articleshow/65935307.cms) In 1998 she appeared in three of the year's top-grossing productions, establishing herself as a leading actress of contemporary Hindi cinema.[1](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol)
## 2000s: hiatus and return
After the family drama *Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...* (2001), which brought her a third Filmfare award, Kajol maintained a selective filmography.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/) She married [Ajay Devgn](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajay-devgn) in 1999 and reduced her film work after having children, though she continued to appear in films such as *[Fanaa](https://www.edgepedia.org/fanaa-2006-film)* (2006) opposite [Aamir Khan](https://www.edgepedia.org/aamir-khan).[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/) • [13](https://hindi.asianetnews.com/gallery/celebs/kajol-birthday-actress-joined-bollywood-because-she-was-not-interested-in-studying-qxct86) *Fanaa* and *My Name Is Khan* (2010) each earned her a Filmfare Best Actress award.[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/) A 2015 Guardian interview noted she was returning to acting after a five-year hiatus spent raising her children, with *Dilwale*.[15](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/dec/14/bollywood-kajol-interview-shah-rukh-khan-dilwale)
On the count of Best Actress wins, sources differ. [The Indian Express](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-indian-express) credits her with six Filmfare Awards including a record five Best Actress wins,[2](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/) while a 2015 Guardian profile wrote that she held the record for winning best actress six times, tied with her late aunt Nutan.[15](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/dec/14/bollywood-kajol-interview-shah-rukh-khan-dilwale)
## Streaming era and recent work
Kajol made her OTT debut with *Tribhanga* (2021).[7](https://www.hindustantimes.com/topic/kajol) Her recent screen work has leaned toward women-centric projects: the courtroom streaming series *The Trial* (2023), the anthology *Lust Stories 2* (2023), and the films *Do Patti* (2024), in which she played a cop for the first time, and *Maa* (2025).[16](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/exclusive-kajol-women-on-screen-are-more-than-just-a-side-plot-now-101785848077879.html) • [17](https://epaper.indianchronicledaily.com/media/2026-02/ic-feb-5-2026.pdf) *Maa*, a horror thriller directed by Vishal Furia and part of the *Shaitaan* universe, released in theaters on 27 June 2025 in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali.[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kajol-confirms-no-cameos-by-ajay-devgn-or-r-madhavan-in-maa-hints-at-possible-sequel/articleshow/121796582.cms) She also appeared in *Salaam Venky* (2022), directed by Revathi, which she called her "75th comeback", and *Sarzameen* (2025).[18](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-says-shes-evolving-as-an-actor-as-opposed-to-heroes-fate-of-the-entire-industry-rests-on-their-super-broad-shoulders-8298726/lite/) • [6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/)
In a 2026 interview marking 34 years in the industry, she described her career choices, including the negative role in *Gupt* and a sabbatical taken at her peak, as her own decisions, and said she was then exploring scripts without finalized projects.[19](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kajol-gets-candid-about-career-choices-after-34-years-in-the-film-industry-says-i-was-very-stubborn-and-foolish/articleshow/129320181.cms)
## Awards and honors
IMDb lists 46 wins and 71 nominations across her career.[9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004418/awards/) Beyond the Filmfare record, her wins include the Bengal Film Journalists' Association Award for Best Actress (Hindi) for *Udhaar Ki Zindagi* (1994), Bollywood Movie Awards for *Kuch Kuch Hota Hai* (1998) and *Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...* (2001), a Sansui Viewer's Choice Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role for *Gupt*, and a [Filmfare Award for Best Actress](https://www.edgepedia.org/filmfare-award-for-best-actress) in a Supporting Role for *Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior* (2020).[9](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004418/awards/) In 2011 she was named for the [Padma Shri](https://www.edgepedia.org/padma-shri), India's fourth highest civilian honor, alongside Tabu, Irrfan Khan, and singer [Usha Uthup](https://www.edgepedia.org/usha-uthup), and received it from President Pratibha Patil that April.[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/bollywoods-honour-roll-kajol-tabu-irrfan-get-padma-shri/) • [5](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/padma-awards-conferred-on-film-dignitaries/)
## Personal life
Kajol married actor Ajay Devgn in 1999; the couple have a daughter, Nysa, and a son, Yug.[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/) • [20](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/hindi/kajol-gets-candid-about-motherhood-lessons-and-son-yugs-debut-in-karate-kids-legends-exclusive/videoshow/121955047.cms) In 2025 she said her daughter Nysa had decided not to join the film industry.[21](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kajol-reveals-nysas-decision-shes-not-joining-the-film-industry/amp_articleshow/123495552.cms) She has spoken publicly about gender inequality in the film business, telling IANS in 2016 that the industry, whether Hollywood or Bollywood, is male dominated.[22](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/film-industry-is-male-dominated-kajol-2815021/) Beyond acting, she is a social activist and is associated with Devgn Entertainment and Software Ltd.[6](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/)
## References
1. [Kajol – Filmography & Biography, Indian Film History](https://www.indianfilmhistory.com/actress/kajol)
2. [Kajol Awards, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/awards/)
3. [Bollywood's honour roll: Kajol, Tabu, Irrfan get Padma Shri, The Indian Express (2011)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/bollywoods-honour-roll-kajol-tabu-irrfan-get-padma-shri/)
4. [Helicopter Eela actor Kajol: I learnt something new with every film, The Indian Express (2018)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/helicopter-eela-actor-kajol-best-films-roles-5370562/lite/)
5. [Padma awards conferred on film dignitaries, The Indian Express (2011)](https://indianexpress.com/article/news-archive/web/padma-awards-conferred-on-film-dignitaries/)
6. [Kajol profile, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/about/kajol/)
7. [Kajol topic page, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/topic/kajol)
8. [Kajol confirms no cameos in 'Maa'; hints at possible sequel, The Times of India (2025)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kajol-confirms-no-cameos-by-ajay-devgn-or-r-madhavan-in-maa-hints-at-possible-sequel/articleshow/121796582.cms)
9. [Kajol – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004418/awards/)
10. [Kajol Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kajol/bio/3030234167/)
11. [Kajol, IMDb (Hindi)](https://www.imdb.com/hi/name/nm0004418/)
12. [Learning film by film: How Kajol grasped every bit of the craft of acting, The Economic Times (2018)](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/learning-film-by-film-how-kajol-grasped-every-bit-of-the-craft-of-acting/articleshow/65935307.cms)
13. [Kajol Birthday: actress joined Bollywood because she was not interested in studying, Asianet News Hindi](https://hindi.asianetnews.com/gallery/celebs/kajol-birthday-actress-joined-bollywood-because-she-was-not-interested-in-studying-qxct86)
14. [The 60 Best Bollywood Movies Ever, Marie Claire](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/a28848130/best-bollywood-movies/)
15. [Bollywood rebel Kajol interview, The Guardian (2015)](https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/dec/14/bollywood-kajol-interview-shah-rukh-khan-dilwale)
16. [Kajol: Women on screen are more than just a side plot now, Hindustan Times (2026)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/exclusive-kajol-women-on-screen-are-more-than-just-a-side-plot-now-101785848077879.html)
17. [Indian Chronicle e-paper, 5 February 2026](https://epaper.indianchronicledaily.com/media/2026-02/ic-feb-5-2026.pdf)
18. [Kajol says she's evolving as an actor, The Indian Express (2022)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kajol-says-shes-evolving-as-an-actor-as-opposed-to-heroes-fate-of-the-entire-industry-rests-on-their-super-broad-shoulders-8298726/lite/)
19. [Kajol gets candid about career choices after 34 years, The Times of India (2026)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kajol-gets-candid-about-career-choices-after-34-years-in-the-film-industry-says-i-was-very-stubborn-and-foolish/articleshow/129320181.cms)
20. [Kajol on motherhood and son Yug's debut, The Times of India (2025)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/videos/entertainment/hindi/kajol-gets-candid-about-motherhood-lessons-and-son-yugs-debut-in-karate-kids-legends-exclusive/videoshow/121955047.cms)
21. [Kajol reveals Nysa's decision not to join the film industry, The Times of India (2025)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/kajol-reveals-nysas-decision-shes-not-joining-the-film-industry/amp_articleshow/123495552.cms)
22. [Film industry is male dominated: Kajol, The Indian Express (2016)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/film-industry-is-male-dominated-kajol-2815021/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1990s–2000s › Surnames K to P*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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