Kajol says she was ‘not sure’ about doing Baazigar with Shah Rukh Khan, only said yes upon her father's advice

Kajol recalled how she was doubtful about doing Abbas-Mustan's Baazigar. The film released in 1993 and is one of her most well known works.

Kajol is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film Sarzameen. The actor has been part of several memorable films in the course of her three-decade-long career in Bollywood. In a new interview with Filmfare, Kajol opened up about her father Shomu Mukherji and the influence that he has had on her career in choosing films. (Also read: Kajol reflects on her parents Tanuja and Shomu Mukherjee's separation: ‘I questioned it at that time but…’)

Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in a still from Baazigar.

When Kajol's father warned her before joining films

During the interaction, Kajol recalled, "My dad actually warned me. He said, ‘You better be sure what you want to do, because once you put that makeup on, its not going to come off.' I was like 16 at that time and said, ‘What nonsense! I am an educated girl, I am a today’s woman. If I choose to leave the films I will leave the films and I will show you. There's no one who can keep me from doing what I want to do."

What Kajol's father said about Baazigar

Kajol went on to add that her father was the one who convinced her to do Baazigar. “He was also a very practical person, very much in the flow of the industry. He was also the person who told me that I must do Baazigar. Because I was not sure whether I should do Baazigar or not. I was like, ‘I was really not sure about it. What is this film? What am I doing in the film?’ He was like no you must do it these are good directors, I know Abbas-Mustan… That was one film that he told me that I really must do it,” she said.

Baazigar starred Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role and was a huge success when it was released in 1993. The film also established Shah Rukh and Kajol as bankable stars in the industry.

Kajol's father Shomu Mukherji died in Mumbai after suffering a massive cardiac arrest at the age of 65 on April 11, 2008.

Kajol was last seen in the horror-thriller Maa. Her upcoming film Sarzameen releases on JioHotstar on July 25.