Bollywood actress Kajol, who has not had a starring role in a film for several years, says she will be back at work sometime this summer.
“I should be working on a home production this year,” said the actress, who was recently in Dubai to attend the Omo Carnival in Zabeel Park in her role as brand ambassador. “By that I mean June or July, but let’s see. I do not want to reveal too much too soon.”
Kajol is tipped to star in a new film by director Rohit Shetty (Chennai Express, 2013) alongside Shah Rukh Khan, in what is being billed as her comeback movie. It has been a hot topic on social media and fans hope it will resurrect Bollywood's favourite on-screen couple.
But the actress refuses to reveal any details.
“I am not in the place to agree to that or deny it at this point,” she says, evading the question.
“We will all see, I guess.”
The 40-year-old actress, whose pairing with superstar Khan resulted in several box-office hits in the late 90s and early 2000s – including the cult classic Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge – is no stranger to Dubai.
“I love Dubai,” says Kajol. “I feel the energy of this place is great and I am really thankful for all the love I get from the people here. I was here just three months ago with my family. We stayed at Atlantis The Palm and had a blast. We almost needed another vacation after that vacation.”
The six-time Filmfare-award winner, who made her acting debut in 1992 in the romantic drama Bekhudi, has two children: 11-year-old daughter Nysa and 4-year-old son Yug. One of Bollywood's better actresses, she has often been criticised for abandoning her career at its peak to marry fellow actor Ajay Devgn, her husband of 15 years.
Kajol took a sabbatical in 2001, then returned in 2006 with the romantic thriller Fanaa, in which she starred opposite Aamir Khan. The film received critical acclaim, but for a while afterwards, Kajol only appeared in short cameos, including in Karan Johar's 2006 film Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (she was initially offered the lead role that eventually went to her cousin, Rani Mukerji).
In 2008, she starred alongside her husband in the box-office failure U Me aur Hum.
In 2010, she lent her voice to the first Indian film to mix live- action with 3D animation, Toonpur Ka Superhero, again alongside her husband, but the film also failed to perform.
The same year, she starred in the tear-jerker drama We Are Family and My Name Is Khan, but hasn't appeared in a big-banner production since.
Kajol says she has no regrets about putting her career on hold, and can’t stress enough “the importance of her personal life over her professional life”.
Kajol and Khan recently went on a whirlwind promo tour to commemorate their hit romance DDLJ, which has been running for an unbroken 20 years at Maratha Mandir, a cinema in Central Mumbai (see box).
A digitally remastered print of the iconic 1995 film is showing at UAE cinemas until Wednesday to mark Valentine's Day celebrations. An animated version of the film, titled Koochie Koochie Hota Hai and featuring both the actors' voices, is due out this year but a date hasn't been announced yet
An active philanthropist, Kajol has been recognised by the government of India for her contribution to the social sector, which includes her work with Shiksha, an NGO that works in the field of children’s education, and Pratham, a charity organisation for children.
