Kajal Agarwal is hot property in Telugu films thanks to Teja who introduced her there with Lakshmi Kalyanam. The film did not do too well, yet Krishna Vamsi came to her rescue with Chandamama, a runaway hit. Since then, Kajal has had two more releases, Pourudu Sumanth and Aatadistha with Nitin. Both the films did well at the box-office. The five-feet-six svelte actor talks about her forthcoming films and her close rapport with Telugu mega-star Chiranjeevi’s brother’s family in this freewheeling interview.
Kajal sounds similar to Kajol.
It is my original name. I haven’t adopted any screen name. Perhaps my interest in films took roots even while I was a kid. True I was too young then to give a thought to it as a career option. But I was very actively par in all inter school and inter college cultural programmes. Naturally this created a quest to pursuit films as a career when I grew up.
How did you find it as a beginner?
It is superb. I am very happy. People down South respect everybody and are very helpful and cooperative. Working with a genius like Bharathiraja is a great learning experience. Then I worked with Teja, another hard taskmaster. He introduced me to Telugu films with Lakshmi Kalyanam’ wherein I played a village girl. It was followed by Chandamama, directed by Krishna Vamsi, known as the creative director. Working with each one of them is a new learning experience. The industry itself teaches you a new lesson every day.
You did some social service too.
I taught street children under the aegis of ‘Akanksha’, an NGO.
Who is your role-model?
I am a great fan of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. But my role -model is Sushmita Sen. I think she is a real blend of beauty and brains. I wish to become like her.
In a highly-competitive industry how do you handle competition?
I know where you are driving. None of the heroines or heroine aspirants come with an intention to act only in glam roles or dance to “item” numbers. But commercial cinema demands glamour from heroines. I do not mind doing glam roles so far as they correlate with the character. I certainly will not over-expose and humiliate myself.
South filmmakers demand that heroines wear a saree. Most heroines from Mumbai struggle to dance wearing a saree.
I agree. It is very difficult. I once slipped while shooting a dance sequence wearing a saree. But then saree is the most sexiest attire and at the same time dignified.
We hear you have a striking resemblance to Chiranjeevi’s brother Nagababu’s daughter and that he treats you like his daughter. And that you have signed Ram Charan Tej’s next film.
The untitled film is directed by S.S. Rajamouli. We have completed the first schedule at Rajasthan and we are shooting in Hyderabad. It is a love story set in a period. It is a major film in my career.
How do you react to gossip mills?
I will not give space for rumours or give way for people to gossip about me.
What type of characters are you looking at?
I am happy that people liked my roles in Pazhani or in Chandamama. They are as bubbly as I am in real life. I prefer author-backed roles that give room for performance rather than harp on glamour quotient. Say a girl- next-door kind of image. My desire is to act with all the leading actors and carve a niche for myself.
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