I'm a good person at heart: Kajol

After a break of nearly two years, she's back in a movie which marks the debut of Ajay Devgan as a director. Kajol gets talking with Hiren Kotwani.

She can be indifferent and she can be warm. But at this, very moment, she's far from being mercurial. It's probably her 101st interview in the course of a week.. but like her personality, she's frank and fast-paced. After a break of nearly two years, she's back in a movie which marks the debut of Ajay Devgan as a director. So, here's a q and me-u-and-Hum with Kajol by Hiren Kotwani

If you were interviewing Kajol, what question would you begin with? I would have done my research. Hopefully, I'd ask some different questions.. which she hasn't answered before. Let me try a touchy one.

What about the buzz which still persists that U Me aur Hum is inspired by Hollywood's The Notebook?
Look, we have said it is not The Notebook so many times that I'm tired of reiterating it.

Did you have any differences of opinion with Ajay Devgan during the shoot?
No. We went with a bound script. Being an open person, Ajay's theory is, "If I can't convince you, then you convince me."

Since you're so selective, what excites you to do a film?
Mostly, it's the script. I'm an avid reader, films are essentially about screenplays.. and dialogue. The lines you say and the manner in which you say them matter.

HT Image

It's not like in books, where you have three paragraphs explaining what prompted a character to say a certain line.

What prompted you to sign up for Toonpur ka Super Hero.. you went on board long after Ajay Devgan did?
The film was made with him in mind. Kumarji (Mangat) told me it's primarily about cartoon characters, and not Ajay and me. But I was like, let me hear the script, if it's worth my time and patience, I'll do it.

It's still not clear whether you will be in Karan Johar's Khan?
Karan has approached me for his next film. He's talked to me about it, but we haven't finalised anything yet.

Is it difficult saying no to a friend, especially since he often writes scripts with you in mind?
It's always difficult saying no because the person comes to you with lots of hope and expectations. But at the end of the day, if I do a film out of friendship and not because I believe in it, I wouldn't be able to do a good job.

Somewhere down the line, I might think that I'm doing my friend a favour. And that's not something I want my work to reflect.

What prevented you from doing Kabhi Alvida na Kehna?
There was a 90-day schedule in New York. I'd told Karan beforehand.. that I have a small baby, and I can't work outdoors for a long time. I have to look after my baby first.

Karan was very sweet, he was like, "I completely understand, maybe 90 days is too much to ask from you."

Shah Rukh Khan has said he wasn't quite convinced about certain aspects of

KANK

. But he went ahead with Karan Johar's conviction. What's your take on the film?

I hadn't heard the script when the dates issue cropped up. I liked the film.. it's not as bad as some people made it out to be. I didn't agree with certain points and I discussed them with Karan. He respected the fact that I had an honest opinion on it.

What about Rajkumar Santoshi's

Ramayan

, with Ajay Devgan again?

I've no idea when

Ramayan

will be made. Raj

ji

is hoping to start it by the end of this year.

Since you're not exactly media friendly, does the aggressive promotional binge for

U Me aur Hum

get to you?

There's been quite a lot actually. Since we're the producers, we have to agree. There's a lot more at stake here. Although it does get boring to repeat oneself to the media.. it's quite a lot of hard work at the end of the day.

You've been offered TV shows earlier. But you chose

Rock & Roll Family

because it was to come on air, close to your film's release.

It wasn't like that at all. Having appeared on a few TV shows, we had certain things in mind before getting involved in one completely. We had to believe in it. We believe in the theory of Rock & Roll Family - of respecting our elders.

So what was your response when a family was caught cheating on the show?

Shocking! We were really taken aback. It's such a happy show, the family looked so happy together. Since the episode is still to be telecast, I can't tell you the reasons they gave for doing what they did.

There isn't much drama on our show. That was the only dramatic thing that happened. We haven't strived to create any drama.

Why are you so temperamental, intimidating.. and wary?
Everything that everyone says about me is all true. But I'm a good person at heart. Because I care about my family, I'm a fantastic mother. Now, I can even control my temper.. I haven't lost it in quite a while.

As for being wary, I'm entitled to be like that. The kind of arena we're in, the experiences we go through, we need to be cautious. There are so many people out there ready to take advantage of you. There are so many people who want to do an article.. there's so much paparazzi. So I don't think I'm wrong at all.

In retrospect, would you say that you married too early?
No. I got married when I wanted to, it was the right time. I was doing four-five films a year, working like a dog. I wanted to take it easy, do less work, so I think I made the right decision.

Being in this profession also makes one susceptible to reports of extramarital affairs and link-ups.

How did you cope with that in the initial years of your marriage?
Why just films? Rumours abound in every profession. You have to trust your partner. If there's a problem, talk it out. If there's a doubt in my head, I talk it out.

Keeping it sitting there in the mind only increases the problem. When you discuss the problem then you realise how small it really is. If you don't trust your husband, there's no need to be in that relationship.

How much have marriage and parenthood changed Ajay Devgan and you?

A lot. We've grown, we have become more calmer, there's a lot more bonding with the entry of a third person. Not really a third person, but a part of our body, with a mind of its own.

Okay, so what's your take - again on Ajay's unspoken enmity towards Shah Rukh Khan?

Despite denials of problems, they're not exactly friends. That's all created by the media. Just because you don't see them shaking hands and having dinner together, it doesn't mean they're enemies.

It's like saying I hate the Prime Minister of a country because I haven't met him. Shah Rukh is busy with his life, Ajay is busy with his. Besides, we don't go out much to parties and functions.

So how can they meet often?
That certainly does not mean that that there's any problem between them.