Kajol reveals who she would have chosen between SRK, Salman in ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’

The actor shed light on what made sense to her, among other things

Kajol, the lead actor in Karan Johar's 1998 blockbuster film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, has finally weighed in on the debate of whether her character, Anjali, should have chosen Aman (Salman Khan) or Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan). Speaking in a recent interview with Humans of Bombay, the 48-year-old actor shed light on whom she thought Anjali should have ended up with, given the nature of the two characters.

The film tells the story of Rahul and Anjali, who were best friends in college, but Rahul becomes enamoured with Tina, portrayed by Rani Mukerji. Years later, Tina and Rahul's daughter tries to reunite her father with Anjali after her mother passes away.

“On a script level, maybe I would have gone with Salman's character,” revealed Kajol. “But in the film, if you watch the film, there is no choice about the ending, it has to be the way it is.”

Many have debated the transition of Kajol's character from a carefree, tomboyish girl to a sari-clad lady. Kajol stated that her version of Anjali would never wear a sari and would instead opt for track pants and sneakers. “My version of Anjali would never be wearing a sari,” said the star. “She would be wearing those track pants and fab, expensive sneakers with it and make that look good.”

Kajol on Bollywood

Kajol also spoke about the initial judgments she faced when she entered the film industry, such as being called dark, fat, and wearing glasses all the time. However, she remained true to herself and continued to be herself, eventually gaining acceptance and love from the audience.

“She is dark, she is fat and she wears specs all the time. These were some of the judgments that were passed when I first started working in the industry,” recalled Kajol. “I couldn’t care less. I knew I was smart, cool and better than everyone out there who had any negatives to say for me. So, I kept continuing to be myself and never let it show. Sooner or later, when they couldn’t pull me down, the world simply embraced me for who I was.”

 

 

 

 

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Johar had also previously admitted that Kuch Kuch Hota Hai was the most "politically incorrect" film. Speaking to Indian Express, he revealed that ace actor Shabana Azmi had called him to blast him about the film's portrayal of women. Azmi criticised the film for suggesting that a girl with short hair was not attractive and only became pretty when she grew out her hair.

“She told me, ‘What have you shown?” recalled Johar. “That a girl has short hair, so she’s not attractive, and now her hair is long and she’s pretty? What do you have to say to this?’ I said I’m sorry. She said, what? That’s all you have to say?’ I said yes because I know you’re right.”

Furthermore, an interesting point to note is that the central cast members of the film - including Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, and Rani Mukerji - were not the filmmaker’s first choice for their respective roles. Juhi Chawla was originally considered for Anjali's role, while Twinkle Khanna was considered for Tina's role. However, both actors turned down the parts.

Saif Ali Khan was offered the role of Aman, but he declined, fearing that he would be overshadowed by Shah Rukh Khan. Salman Khan eventually took on the role of Aman as an extended guest appearance. “Only a mad person would agree to do the role and that mad person is me," Salman had said to Johar at a party, as per a Catch News report.

Despite the initial casting setbacks, the central cast of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai went on to deliver memorable performances, with Kajol's portrayal of Anjali being especially noteworthy. Her quirkiness and energy breathed life into the character wonderfully, making her memorable and endearing to audiences.

Undoubtedly, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai remains to be one of the most beloved films of Indian cinema, with its catchy music, memorable performances, and timeless story of friendship and love.

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