Mumbai: Veteran Bollywood actor Tanuja was admitted to a hospital on Sunday evening due to age-related issues. A source said the 80-year-old actor is admitted to the ICU of a Juhu hospital. “She is under observation. She is doing well. There's nothing to worry about,” the source said.

She is sister of Nutan and mother of popular star Kajol. She is known for her roles in “Baharein Phir Bhi Ayengi” and “Jewel Thief”.

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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.”

Kajol with producer Niranjan Iyengar

As her first short film Devi drops online today, Kajol on the joy of working with an all-women cast
Upala KBR (MID-DAY; March 2, 2020)

Kajol has often mentioned that Shah Rukh Khan and husband Ajay Devgn are her dream co-stars. But looks like her Devi co-stars may pip them to the distinction. The short film that drops online today has her sharing screen space with eight women actors, including Neha Dhupia and Shruti Haasan.

"When the script came my way, I thought it would be so much fun working with [eight] different women," says Kajol, adding that the movie — directed by Priyanka Banerjee and made for Large Short Films — drives home a powerful message about gender equality. "I loved the statement that the film is making. Also, it's such a joy to closely collaborate with so many women. Nobody discussed PMS at all on set," she grins.

In her 28-year career in Bollywood, Kajol has consistently made a case for women empowerment — be it by challenging the unrealistic standards of beauty that the industry holds the female actors to, or by busting the myth that heroines have a short shelf life. Ask her who she considers her inspiration, and she rattles off, "My mother [Tanuja]; whatever I am today is because of her teachings. My mother-in-law [Veena Devgan] has also played a crucial role, she has supported me in so many ways. And I consider my daughter [Nysa] my third 'devi' because of the magnitude of work that I do for her," she laughs.

Kajol on why she’d rather stick to home banner and self-worth in the age of ‘strange definitions of a strong woman’
Ankita Chaurasia (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 24, 2019)

There’s a sense of deja-vu in seeing Kajol grin, as she lets you into a sun-lit suite of a suburban five-star, inviting you to “make yourself comfortable”. Any minute now, you expect her to spring a, “Would you like some tea and something to go with it?” in the British accent of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’s expat heroine, or remind you to chug, “Juice, juice” as the college-going tomboy from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. It’s not difficult to see that there’s been a bit of Kajol in every character she has played—from the rebellious Simran of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to an overprotective mother in Helicopter Eela.

Settling in for a chat, Kajol underlines that her upcoming film, actorhusband Ajay Devgn’s Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, which is the story of an underdog, features characters with clear personality traits. “Saif (Ali Khan, co-star) is all-black (negative); you won’t see him saving a sparrow in the end to convey that he has some good within him. Tanaji and Savitri are all-white. No one is grey,” she laughs, and is refreshingly upfront about her role, in that it “isn’t very big”.

The actress is quick to add that her role is relevant to the story. “Savitribai is a loyalist and there’s a wonderful strength to her character. In today’s time, our definition of a strong woman is strange. You have to be a working woman as well as an efficient homemaker and if you are only one of the two, there’s a certain way you are looked at, even by other women. There’s immense strength in being who you are and realising your relevance,” Kajol asserts.

Is that why she does only a handful of films now? “It isn’t every day that the right director, producer and script come together. So, I’d rather sit at home and spend time with my children. I have great kids, they are cool and have a fabulous sense of humour,” the actress says with unabashed maternal pride. When asked if she would be game to attempt an all-black character again, pat comes the reply, “I’d love to do something like a Maleficent.”

Point out that Ajay had recently revealed that the film’s team is planning a franchise on other unsung warriors from India and Kajol says, “We want to mine more stories of those who fought like maniacs for their motherland,” but would personally rather stay in the fiction zone. “I am a fiction reader; nothing real lives up to that.” And what about screen adaptations of books? “If it is about adapting a book for the screen, often, it doesn’t translate well, unless you take a lot of cinematic liberties,” she argues, adding that there are some “fabulous thrillers” that would make great scripts, but she won’t name them for fear of jinxing. “I read all the time now. E-books are the best thing to happen to mankind. Back in the day, every time I went to London, I’d lug back stacks of books, squeezing them into my suitcase, hand bag and knapsack to avoid shelling out a fortune on charges.”

There was buzz that she is set to launch her own production house but Kajol shoots it down. “I am not producer material at all; it requires a strong stomach lining to deal with all the ulcers that come with the job,” she laughs, adding that she always has her husband’s company to produce films with.

With Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior, the husband-wife duo reunites on screen 12 years after their last outing, U Me Aur Hum, but the actress insists that nothing has changed between then and now. “Even when Ajay is acting with me in a scene, he watches me like a director. If he is not happy with a shot, he will give me inputs and ask me to go for a second take. I appreciate his keen eye,” she gushes.

Speaking of aesthetics, their nine-year-old son, Yug, is gaining quite the reputation as a shutterbug, as evidenced by Kajol’s Instagram feed. “We are constantly negotiating. When I dress up, I ask him to take a pic and he says, ‘I’ll click only one, haan,’ and I’ll request him to click at least three after which he will reluctantly oblige. But those three clicks are fantastic. I am amazed at the perfect frames. By the time he was seven, he understood picture composition,” the actress raves.

Turns out, the young aesthete is not too pleased with his actress-mom’s look in the film. “Yugi made a face, saying, ‘I don’t like you in these clothes. Change! You don’t look like my mother’,” she chuckles. However, her mother, veteran actress Tanuja, couldn’t help but draw parallels between Kajol as Savitribai and her great grandmother, the late actress Rattan Bai. “Even I was amazed to see how much I resembled her. Subconsciously, I remember my great grandmother, grandmother (Shobhana Samarth) and mother wearing nauvaris and decking up in traditional jewellery for weddings. When I draped the nine yards, there was a different person staring back at me in the mirror. I felt an amazing sense of connect with my ancestors,” Kajol says.

Joining Yug in his disapproval of his mother’s taste is his elder sister, Nysa. “She thinks I have the worst Instagram account on earth. She will go, ‘Mom, you don’t know how to caption. Nobody talks like this!’ All I say is that it’s me and not someone posing to be me. At least I am laughing at my own jokes, baaki ke log hase na hase, kya fark padta hai. I know me, I have to keep it fun because if I get sick of it, you’ll see a post declaring, ‘I am signing off social media’,” she concludes with her signature chuckle.

Akash Bhatnagar (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 8, 2019)

Cousins Rani Mukerji and Kajol were in perfect sync in pretty pink saris as they brought in Navami on Monday at the family Durga puja celebrations at a suburban five-star. Rani drove in past 2 pm and was greeted with cheers from fans who had packed the venue. Kajol got an equally rapturous welcome. Her mother Tanuja, sister Tanishaa and cousins Ayan and Sharbani were there too, along with star guests, Ayan’s bestie Ranbir Kapoor, his ladylove and Brahmastra co-star Alia Bhatt, and Hrithik Roshan. RK arrived around 5 pm while both Hrithik and Alia visited earlier in the afternoon.

All three performed ‘anjali’, seeking Maa’s blessings but while both Hrithik and Alia left without partaking of the bhog, RK sat for the daily prasad which on the ninth day included pulao, begun bhaaja, paneer, dum aloo, chutney, kheer and another sweet. While Ayan sat for the havan, it was Rani, Kajol and Tanishaa’s day to serve bhog and the latter exulted, “Sisters who serve together, rock together.”

TV actress Sumona Chakravarti, known as Kapil Sharma’s former better half on his comedy show, was among the first guests to arrive, spreading sunshine in a yellow sari. Actor Vipin Sharma was also spotted in the crowd of revelers.

Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; October 6, 2018)

Kajol's next outing, Helicopter Eela, is less than a week away from hitting the screens. The film sees her in the protagonist’s role, which reflects the changing norm in Bollywood that doesn’t place the spotlight only on younger heroines anymore. Always known to be unabashed and unapologetic about her opinion, the actress tells us why she thinks this trend is beneficial for actresses of all ages. She also gives her take on the housewife vs working mother debate and explains how a supportive family can make the biggest difference. Over to her...

Last year, there was a debate when Mira Rajput said that she cannot be a working mother. What’s your take on it?
I think it’s a personal choice, as to when you feel ready to go back to work. I had a working mother (Tanuja) all through my life, but I don’t feel any less close to her or love her any lesser. It’s something that every woman faces and acts upon. Some choose to work while others don’t; your children would respect you equally, whether you are at home baking cookies or in office finishing assignments.

In the film, the mother gives up on her dreams. Do you have an unfulfilled desire of continuing to work?
Not really, because I have been really lucky in that respect. If I wanted to do something, I pretty much did it. My dream was to stay at home and take care of my kids and I did. When I wanted to work, I did. Yes, but I do want to travel to different places that I haven’t been able to. I want to take my children with me and I’ll make that happen as well. So, there are no desires that are unfulfilled, but there are a lot of wishes that I’ve to act upon.

Would you credit your supportive family for the same?
Yes, along with my husband Ajay (Devgn), I have my mother-in-law and mother to thank the most. My ma-in-law told me, ‘Beta, aap tension mat lo. Aap kaam pe jao. Hum hain na. Hum kis liye hain?’ Nobody put an obstacle in my way. Maybe because they also knew I’d probably overcome those hurdles. Nobody even tried, so I was lucky.

Roles being written for women today defy pre-conceived notions. Comment.
I think it’s a reflection of what our society is saying today. Films have always been and will be that. When you have a film like Wonder Woman doing so well, it’s because people now believe that a woman can also save the world. There’s a subtext in female-oriented films being made now. Suddenly, the society has started looking at the feminine gender in a different way. That’s why there have been such roles of late, whether a Tumhari Sulu (2017) or a Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015). We’re accepting them. It’s not only a question of writing a film anymore; it’s about the movie being viewed by a wider audience and raking in money.

Do you think box-office numbers have given producers more confidence to make such films?
Absolutely! The audience has changed. They are willing to put their money where their mouth is. Finally, we have a much wider female audience that says, ‘I’ll watch it with all my girlfriends’. Maybe they didn’t have too many choices earlier. We are a service-based industry and make films for the audience. It’s not a home video meant for our personal collection.

Is there a change of perception towards married actresses as well?
We are talking about woman empowerment. Somewhere down the line, I believe we have to change the perspective we have of ourselves. Do you really believe that when you are married, everything is dead and over? If you believe that, then it will happen. We have had Meena Kumari, Saira Banu, Sharmila Tagore, my mother, Sridevi, Madhuri Dixit-Nene and Kareena Kapoor Khan, too, today. So this is a myth. It has nothing to do with whether women are married or not. It’s about the type of roles that change. Once you tie the knot, people just expect more from you, as a society. You have to take that into consideration when you are picking up a role or a film. And it’s not difficult.

That’s something you’ve done efficiently. Is there something you’d consciously stay away from?
I honestly don’t see myself doing three scenes and a song or a pointless film anymore. If I have to do just one scene, it has to be the most fantastic, amazing one ever. People should be left like, ‘Oh, my God!’ That’s what I will do. I did inconsequential stuff at one point. That was a conscious decision then. But not anymore, not in this space of things at least.

Do you think the digital revolution has also brought better projects for actors of all ages?
Most definitely. Earlier, if you joined films, there was nothing else you could do. You either succeeded at a spectacular rate or you failed miserably and couldn’t do anything with your life. With digital media, there are so many other productive things you can do rather than just being an actor. It’s given you that much security.

Are you open to doing a digital-only film or series?
I’d love to. I just want to act and not restrict myself to a particular medium. I’ve been offered web series and TV shows. But things haven’t worked out for different reasons. I hope it does at some point.

Harshada Rege (DNA; September 26, 2018)

Kajol is striking the perfect work-life balance. The actress, who will be seen on the big screen playing a mother in Helicopter Eela, is a hands-on parent in real life, too. These days, she is juggling many responsibilities with aplomb. She is busy with media interactions in Mumbai as well as other cities for her forthcoming film. However, that hasn’t stopped the 44-year-old from ensuring that she makes time for her family.

Kajol took son Yug to their farmhouse in Lonavala to celebrate her mother Tanuja’s 75th birthday on September 23. After spending the day with her mom, she drove back to Mumbai and took off to Singapore where her daughter, Nysa, studies. The young girl was missing her parents, and since Ajay is busy shooting, the Dilwale star got on a plane to meet her girl.

Meanwhile, back home, the Shivaay actor, who is known to be a prankster, gave out a phone number asking people to get in touch with Kajol as she was out of the country. The actress sent across a ‘no entry at home’ tweet in reply to his explanation about pranks on sets being a passé and playing one on Twitter instead.

MID-DAY (July 27, 2017)

Commenting on the ongoing debate on nepotism, Kajol says an artiste’s talent is what truly drives him to success.

Responding to the incident that occurred at the IIFA awards earlier this month, when filmmaker Karan Johar poked fun at actress Kangana Ranaut for criticizing him for being nepotistic, Kajol said, “I think it is a debate brought on by two personalities [referring to Johar and Ranaut] who have decided to quote-unquote each other.” Kajol added that she doesn’t see anything amiss in a child’s desire to follow in the footsteps of his or her parents. “I honestly think it’s a moot point because every child wants to grow up and be like their parents. Lawyers’ children grow up and become lawyers, and doctors’ children grow up and become doctors. And sometimes, both of their children become actors.”

Kajol, 42, who is the daughter of veteran actress Tanuja, feels it is only hard work which has made people in Bollywood successful. “It is an open world. It is a free space. Anybody can become anything they want to become. The people who have succeeded in the industry, and by example you can take any name you want, have succeeded because of their talent and sheer hard work. I don’t think all the people who have succeeded have that much to claim over their bloodline.”

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 5, 2017)

Veteran actress Tanuja, while promoting her upcoming TV show, Aarambh, was caught off guard when questioned about the recent beef controversy surrounding her actress-daughter Kajol. The 73-year-old matriarch started off by exclaiming, “Stop! Stop! Stop!” going on to point out that she had acted in the Rajesh Khanna-starrer, Haathi Mere Saathi, and she loved animals. “I was in love with the haathi. But don’t deviate. Stick to Aarambh.”

Last week, Kajol had unwittingly found herself in the eye of an online storm after she posted a video from her lunch date with friends, which had the chef identifying the delicacies on the table. The actress had to issue a clarification, stating that the dish that had caused the stir, was actually buffalo meat, which is legal, as opposed to beef.

The actress is set to appear on an episodic show with longtime friend, Mickey Contractor, as they embark on a no-holds-barred trip down memory lane
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 17, 2016)

Tanishaa is a feisty journalist in this official biopic on the activist.
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 10, 2015)

Social-activist Anna Hazare had a fan moment when Tanuja dropped in on the sets of the biopic being made on the 78 year-old's life. The veteran actress had decided to pay a visit to her daughter, Tanishaa Mukerji, who will be seen as a feisty journalist in the film. She was filming a sequence in Ralegan Siddhi, Anna Hazare's hometown in rural Maharashtra with Anna himself, when Tanuja dropped by, unannaounced.

"Anna admitted that he was Tanuja's fan and had watched several of her films, including Baharen Phir Bhi Aayangi, Jewel Thief and Haathi Mere Saathi, while serving in the army. He also invited the actress for a home-cooked meal, insisting she return for a traditional Maharashtrian feast," revealed a source from the sets.

Tanishaa was surprised by her mother's impromptu visit but admits it was fun. Shashank Udapurkar's directorial went on floors on Tuesday with the famous Jan Lokpal bill rally being recreated on the first day of the shoot. The as-yet-untitled film traces Anna's life from his childhood days to enlisting with the army and the return to his hometown to raise his voice against corruption.

Tanishaa, one of the participants of Bigg Boss Season 7, says that she is enjoying her long conversations with Anna, who led movements to promote rural development, increase government transparency and punish corruption in public life. "This film will be his official biopic," says the actress who plays a TV reporter.

Tanuja dismisses rumours that she is seriously ill, flies off to Iceland with daughter Kajol.
Ali Peter John (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 26, 2015)


On August 24, Tanuja took off to Iceland, a country she has always wanted to visit, with daughter Kajol for the shoot of Dilwale. Shah Rukh Khan has already tweeted a selfie taken with his father's favourite actress.

There has been talk of her being seriously ill but Tanuja laughed off the rumour, saying, "I know how it started. I was taking a flight and since, as usual, I was too lazy to walk to the aircraft, I asked for a wheelchair. Some people clicked pictures of a very sick Tanuja in the wheelchair and that was it. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with me then or now."

Bring up yesteryear memories and she waves it off, "What is the use of living a dream that cannot come true again however hard you may try to? It's a waste of time and energy. The past is finished... khallaas... life is beautiful as a content grandmother."

Tanuja was last seen in a Marathi film, Pitruroon, about a widow, Bhagirathi. She admits she's been getting several offers to play the mother or the mother-in-law in films and serials but claims they are all useless.

Pitruroon was the exception for which she even shaved off her hair. "Since then, I have turned down several similar roles and offers to play the new generation mother dressed in the best sarees and crying in the same old way," she grouses.

She played mother to son-in-law Ajay Devgn in Son Of Sardaar. Will she be seen in the sequel? "Is he making a film like that?" wonders the 71-year-old actress who shuttles between her Lonavala bungalow and Grotto Villa in Mumbai. She spearheads the 'Save Environment' campaign and is also a frontline leader of the movement to save the hill stations of Lonavala and Khandala.

Stories about her fighting those hell-bent on destroying the beauty of nature are many. Tanuja takes her role of an activist seriously but when it comes to cinema, she's more laidback. "Why do you want to take me out of my state of bliss?" she asks. "I'm happy spending time with Kajol, Ajay and their children Nysa and Yug."