As conversations around Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Wagh-starrer Alpha continue to divide opinions, actor Kajol has come out in support of the film. “You have a film like Alpha that’s come out, which is an action film. I think the idea of it was absolutely fantastic,” she says, adding that the portrayal of women on screen has changed drastically over her three decades in the industry. Kajol, who turns 52 today, has headlined women-centric projects including the web series The Trial and films Do Patti (2024) and Maa (2025). The actor believes Hindi cinema is finally moving towards giving female characters the space they deserve.
“We’re definitely moving in the right direction when it comes to women-led stories. I don’t know whether it’s a better light or not, but it’s definitely more of a spotlight,” she says, adding, “They’re writing better characters for women. They are giving women more of a chance to be more than just a side plot, which I feel is a good trend that we’re going towards.”
Kajol, who turns 52 today, says the philosophy behind choosing her films has remained the same, even as she continues to evolve as an actor. “I’ve always selected projects that appealed to me, characters that made me feel I could do something with them. That hasn’t changed. But yes, I want to experiment. I want to try new things and do things that I probably haven’t done before.”
For the actor, instinct continues to be the deciding factor while signing a project. “If I’m not convinced by a character in the beginning, I don’t do the film. If you can’t convince me, then I won’t be doing it.”
Reflecting on how life has changed over the years, both professionally and personally, Kajol says, “I’m a kinder person today than I was. Not because I wasn’t kind back then, but maybe I didn’t show it as much.”
Speaking about her birthday, the actor says the occasion has never been about lavish parties or extravagant gifts. Instead, she prefers keeping it intimate. “There are no specific birthday plans. I usually just have really close friends and family over. Spending time with my family and friends really makes my day, honestly. I don’t get to meet everybody throughout the year, so my birthday is when I see all of them,” she shares.
Kajol adds that the best part about her birthday is that, wherever her family is, they always make it a point to be with her. “Both of them make it a point to be there for my birthday, come hell or high water. My daughter, Nysa Devgn, is an adult now. She studies abroad, but everybody in my family makes it a point to keep that day free, regardless of whether it’s the middle of the week or not. I really appreciate that.”
Laughing about how seriously she takes her birthday, she says, “I’ve always been super excited about it. I make sure everybody remembers my birthday at least a month in advance. Nobody can forget it because I’ve put it on everybody’s calendars.”