Over the years, Kajal Aggarwal has built a successful career in Hindi and South Indian cinema, working with some of the industries biggest stars. While he made a strong impression in Bollywood with films like ‘Singham’ and ‘Do Lafzon Ki Kahani,’ the actor has focused more on South cinema in recent years. In a recent interaction, Kajal Aggarwal opens up about why she’s been picky about Hindi films, what Bollywood can learn from the South’s film industry, and how the portrayal of women has changed over the years.
Kajal Aggarwal says that South cinema offered the roles she was looking for
Explaining why she chose to prioritize films in the South when speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast, Kajal Aggarwal said that the quality of work has always been her biggest priority. “The quality of work I got in the South was not something I got in Bollywood. The roles I want… my priority is quality over quantity. South cinema has given me so many opportunities, so why should I do typical Bollywood roles? ” he said.The actor added that language is not a deciding factor in his career. “My priority has always been meaningful cinema. Language has never been a barrier for me because I enjoy the craft of filmmaking. It took me seven films to truly fall in love with acting, but once I did, I became fully committed to it,” shared Kajal.
The actor says that Bollywood can learn timely from the South
Kajal Aggarwal also points out a major difference between the two industries. punctuality. “Bollywood should learn punctuality from the South. In Hindi films, nothing happens on time. In the South, people work by the clock. I am used to reaching the set on time, and I like that discipline,” he said.Recalling an incident from her Bollywood career, Kajal Aggarwal revealed, “Salman Khan: I was made to wait the longest, and I’m not used to it. He will come in the afternoon or even in the evening. Since I have a lot of time, I go to the gym that is on the set. I am very used to the discipline that South cinema follows.” He also noted that films in the South are improving in their depiction of women. “The industry is now writing stronger and more liberal roles for women. They are no longer confused by women’s navels. I have always drawn the line and never agreed to such scenes,” he said.
Kajal Aggarwal continues to balance commercial and pan-Indian projects
After establishing herself as one of the leading actresses of Indian cinema, Kajal Aggarwal continued to do projects in several languages. He will next be seen in ‘The India Story’ and is also a part of Nitesh Tiwari‘Ramayana’ series, where he played ‘Mandodari.’ Even as she expands her filmography, Kajal says her choices continue to be guided by the strength of the script rather than the language, reinforcing the philosophy that has shaped her career for nearly two decades.
