Kajol on her Madame Tussauds wax figure: ‘I want my husband and son to see the statue’

Kajol has returned from Singapore after unveiling her wax statue at Madame Tussauds. It was a special occasion for the actress not just because it was a big moment for her, but also because she was accompanied by daughter Nysa on the red carpet for the first time. “I was a little stressed. I was like ‘What’s going to happen?’, ‘What are you going to wear’ etc. But Nysa was chilled out. She was the one who was reassuring me and asking me to not worry about it,” reveals the Padma Shri recipient. Kajol spoke to After Hrs about unveiling her waxwork, discovering her fashion fundas, and her upcoming movie, Eela (tentative title).

Did you get to see the statue before the launch?

I saw the statue for the first time in Singapore itself. It was quite amazing. You have people who kind of look like you, but you never find someone with such a close resemblance. The statue has 90 per cent resemblance to me. Nysa loved it. She said, ‘This statue does look like you’. 

Your husband (Ajay Devgn) and son (Yug) couldn’t make it for the unveiling. Any plans to get them to see it?

No, officially there’s no plan, but I definitely want them to see it, too. I had sent them a picture and they liked it a lot.

Your husband posted a picture on Instagram and captioned it ‘a silent Kajol’...

(Laughs) Yes. I will have a chat with him about it when I see him.

How was the experience of giving measurements for your statue?

They took about 250 measurements. It was the most exhausting experience ever. They took strange measurements like the distance from my nose to ear. Nobody has ever wanted to know that (laughs). But it was interesting to see how much care they took. They gave me a box of 20 eyeballs and asked me to pick the one that I thought was closest to mine. It was highly confusing.

Often these statues sport iconic looks. Why was this particular outfit picked?

This is a Prabal Gurung outfit that I wore at the Zee Awards last year. They had honoured me for completing 25 years in the industry. It was a big moment for me. And the people at Madame Tussauds also wanted something that coincided with a special phase of my life. Also, the exhibit is made for an international audience and is supposed to have a red-carpet feel. It’s like walking on the red carpet and posing with your favourite actor.

Of late, your fashion choices have won you a lot of compliments.

I don’t think people should take any inspiration from me when it comes to fashion (laughs). I started out in films at the age of 16. That’s probably the time when most girls experiment with their clothes. Time just flew by me because I was busy working. Every morning, I had someone standing there with some outfit and saying, ‘This is what you will be wearing’. So, honestly, there was no time to form an opinion on what I would like to sport or what is my style. Gradually, I decided to find out about my preferences. Now, I have a good idea about what suits me and what doesn’t. It’s something that people develop in a lifetime through various choices, experiments and mistakes as well. Earlier, I didn’t care about it enough to have an opinion. But now I do.

Today, movies like English Vinglish, Mom and Tumhari Sulu are focussing on women and their experiences. They are no longer about young girls and their lives...

Yes, I think they are talked about a lot more. In the past, you have had movies like Raat Aur Din, Mother India and Khoon Bhari Maang. These are just the ones that come to my mind immediately. Some of my mother’s films for that matter, even my aunt (Nutan) has done some amazing movies. So, it’s not a revolution that we are going through, but yes, I definitely think that people are talking about it more.

Go on...

It is now becoming an accepted area and isn’t confined to being an experimental thought anymore. That is a positive change because our audiences have changed. It’s because of them that such films are able to get the financial boost that they need. How long will you continue making movies that don’t give you a certain kind of return? Then they will be stuck with the experimental tag. Whatever we may say about the film industry, at the end of the day, it’s a business. If you are not going to make money on it, people are going to walk out of it.

Unlike earlier, actors now have various other things to contend with like brand endorsements, appearances, and social media presence. Is that a distraction?

It’s become a part and parcel of the profession. I have to say it is tiring. However, what I like about it is that it has increased the longevity of stars today. Because of the many digital platforms that we have and the way media has exploded, nobody is irrelevant anymore. Due to the various options available to us, we have the power to reinvent ourselves with a click of a button. This means failure is a disposable tag, as long as you are willing to work hard for it.

You will be seen next in Eela...

Yes, we finished the film just four days ago. The release date has been finalised, too.

You play an aspiring singer in it. Any such real-life ambitions?

No, I’m strictly a bathroom singer. And J (husband Ajay) says, ‘If I am outside the door, please don’t sing’ (laughs).

Any other projects on the anvil?

I’m going to concentrate on Eela for now. Maybe I will take a breather and then do another comeback (laughs). By now, it’s a pattern if you notice. I think I have made the maximum comebacks.