Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 9, 2020)

“When I became a mum, my first thought was that I just could not fail. I knew that this was one test I was going to ace… as this really was a question of life and wasted life,” says actor Kajol.

The actor believes that her kids (daughter Nysa, 16, and son Yug, 9) have positively impacted her as a person and as an actor. “My children make me want to be a better person and sometimes a more fun one. Being a mum added a lot to who I was, and it has only made me a better actor,” she says.

The 45-year-old, in her signature candour, shares why her children have not watched many of her films. “Both my kids love to watch films but haven’t seen many of mine. Firstly, because I haven’t made that many, and secondly, according to them, I cry too much and I make them cry too,” she says.

Ask her about her bond with her mother, veteran actor Tanuja, and she says, “My mum and I always had the best relationship, and it has only gone from strength to strength. We don’t discuss whether I should do a film or not. It has always been my decision from the age I was 16. My mum gave me a lot of advice, and I didn’t listen to any of it till I reached a problem. And then her advice would ring in my ears and I knew what the right thing to do was.”

Sharing a message ahead of Mother’s Day, Kajol says, “The one thing that your children will remember forever is how you loved them. All the scolding, the feeding and the care will be forgotten. So, don’t forget to make them feel loved every single day.”