Actor Kajal Aggarwal, who has worked extensively in both Hindi and South Indian cinema, has opened up about why she stepped back from Bollywood in recent years and what she feels the Hindi film industry can learn from its southern counterparts.
In a candid conversation with host Shubhankar Mishra, the Singham and Magadheera star said motherhood made her rethink her career choices. Instead of chasing multiple projects, she wanted to focus on work that felt meaningful.
South Gave Me Quality, So Why Settle For Average In Bollywood. Kajal explained that language was never an issue for her, but the kind of roles were.
“The quality of work I was getting down South was not something I was getting in Bollywood. My priority was quality over quantity, and South was giving me such roles in abundance. So why would I do average roles in Bollywood?” she said.
She added that it took her 7 films to truly fall in love with acting. “Once I fell in love, I was very committed. I enjoy the craft of moviemaking,” Kajal said.
Bollywood Should Learn Punctuality From The South”
The actor also pointed out a major cultural difference between the two industries — discipline on set.
“Bollywood should learn punctuality from the South. In Hindi films, nothing is on time. In the South, they work by the clock. I am used to reaching on time, and I like it that way. In Hindi, the timings are very off,” she noted.
When asked who made her wait the longest, Kajal didn’t hold back.
“Salman Khan has made me wait the longest, and I was not used to it. I wondered what was happening. He came around afternoon or evening, so I would go exercise in the gym, which was on set. I am used to the punctuality and discipline of South cinema.”
“They’re No Longer Obsessed With Female Navels”
Kajal also spoke about how women’s characters are evolving in South cinema. She said the industry has moved past stereotypical portrayals and is now writing more independent, layered roles for women.
“South is now learning to write liberal roles for female protagonists from Bollywood and also coming-of-age roles. They are no longer obsessed with female navels. I always drew the line and never did such roles. You are not throwing fruits on my navel, boss!” she said with a laugh.
Kajal Aggarwal Calls Out Bollywood’s Time Problem, Praises South For “Quality Over Quantity” And Stronger Women Roles
