Since her debut film Bekhudi (1992), Kajol has built a massively successful career over the last 31 years, with her 1997 film Gupt: The Hidden Truth, starring Bobby Deol and Manisha Koirala. The actress has shown her comedic chops in Karan Johar films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and has also held her own as a mother in a more serious film like the Shah Rukh Khan starrer My Name Is Khan.
Kajol celebrates her 49th birthday on Saturday. As a result, we’re left with a tough question: which performances are her most impressive?
Kajol’s top 5 performances
Baazigar (1993)
In the romantic thriller directed by Abbas-Mustan, Kajol starred alongside Shah Rukh Khan, Shilpa Shetty, Raakhee, Dalip Tahil and Johnny Lever, among others. Kajol was seen as Priya Chopra, Shah Rukh’s girlfriend and Shilpa’s sister. Particularly iconic is the scene where Priya, investigating her sister’s death on her own, discovers that she was actually killed by Shah Rukh’s character.
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995)
One of India’s biggest romantic films, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ) made Kajol and Shah Rukh a hit. From Simran (Kajol) meeting and instantly hating Raj (Shah Rukh) during a trip to Europe to Simran convincing her strict father (Amrish Puri) to go on one girl’s trip before marrying a man, which he chose, Kajol was unforgettable in every frame. It’s a commanding performance that shows what was to come from her almost limitless talent.
Gupt: The Hidden Truth (1997)
Kajol was the anti-hero in this murder mystery. The film, which also stars Bobby Deol and Manisha Koirala, was one of the highest-grossing films of the year and won three Filmfare Awards, including Best Villain for Kajol. Despite playing a morally reprehensible lover, you have to admit that Kajol played Isha Dewan with conviction.
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham… (2001)
Anyone who dismisses a Karan Johar film as anything other than brilliant cinematography was seriously engaged with it. Kajol’s powerful presence is both awe-inspiring and hilarious. Her funny-yet-relatable performance in the film is the go-to answer for why she’s such a good actor.
My Name Is Khan (2010)
It’s the story of an Indian Muslim (Shah Rukh), who suffers from the Asperger’s syndrome, and is arrested mistakenly as a suspected terrorist in post-9/11 Los Angeles. Kajol’s intelligent and honest portrayal of a mother building her life back up after a tragic incident, and how she reluctantly gets into a relationship with Shah Rukh’s character might have helped her upstage Shah Rukh in some scenes.
