Bollywood actress Kajol, who has not had a starring role in a film for several years, says she will be back at work sometime this summer.
“I should be working on a home production this year,” said the actress, who was recently in Dubai to attend the Omo Carnival in Zabeel Park in her role as brand ambassador. “By that I mean June or July, but let’s see. I do not want to reveal too much too soon.”
Kajol is tipped to star in a new film by director Rohit Shetty (Chennai Express, 2013) alongside Shah Rukh Khan, in what is being billed as her comeback movie. It has been a hot topic on social media and fans hope it will resurrect Bollywood's favourite on-screen couple.
But the actress refuses to reveal any details.
“I am not in the place to agree to that or deny it at this point,” she says, evading the question.
“We will all see, I guess.”
The 40-year-old actress, whose pairing with superstar Khan resulted in several box-office hits in the late 90s and early 2000s – including the cult classic Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge – is no stranger to Dubai.
“I love Dubai,” says Kajol. “I feel the energy of this place is great and I am really thankful for all the love I get from the people here. I was here just three months ago with my family. We stayed at Atlantis The Palm and had a blast. We almost needed another vacation after that vacation.”
The six-time Filmfare-award winner, who made her acting debut in 1992 in the romantic drama Bekhudi, has two children: 11-year-old daughter Nysa and 4-year-old son Yug. One of Bollywood's better actresses, she has often been criticised for abandoning her career at its peak to marry fellow actor Ajay Devgn, her husband of 15 years.
Kajol took a sabbatical in 2001, then returned in 2006 with the romantic thriller Fanaa, in which she starred opposite Aamir Khan. The film received critical acclaim, but for a while afterwards, Kajol only appeared in short cameos, including in Karan Johar's 2006 film Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (she was initially offered the lead role that eventually went to her cousin, Rani Mukerji).
In 2008, she starred alongside her husband in the box-office failure U Me aur Hum.
In 2010, she lent her voice to the first Indian film to mix live- action with 3D animation, Toonpur Ka Superhero, again alongside her husband, but the film also failed to perform.
The same year, she starred in the tear-jerker drama We Are Family and My Name Is Khan, but hasn't appeared in a big-banner production since.
Kajol says she has no regrets about putting her career on hold, and can’t stress enough “the importance of her personal life over her professional life”.
Kajol and Khan recently went on a whirlwind promo tour to commemorate their hit romance DDLJ, which has been running for an unbroken 20 years at Maratha Mandir, a cinema in Central Mumbai (see box).
A digitally remastered print of the iconic 1995 film is showing at UAE cinemas until Wednesday to mark Valentine's Day celebrations. An animated version of the film, titled Koochie Koochie Hota Hai and featuring both the actors' voices, is due out this year but a date hasn't been announced yet
An active philanthropist, Kajol has been recognised by the government of India for her contribution to the social sector, which includes her work with Shiksha, an NGO that works in the field of children’s education, and Pratham, a charity organisation for children.
artslife@thenational.ae
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
MATCH DETAILS
Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)
Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)
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Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Company%20Profile
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The language of diplomacy in 1853
Treaty of Peace in Perpetuity Agreed Upon by the Chiefs of the Arabian Coast on Behalf of Themselves, Their Heirs and Successors Under the Mediation of the Resident of the Persian Gulf, 1853
(This treaty gave the region the name “Trucial States”.)
We, whose seals are hereunto affixed, Sheikh Sultan bin Suggar, Chief of Rassool-Kheimah, Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon, Chief of Aboo Dhebbee, Sheikh Saeed bin Buyte, Chief of Debay, Sheikh Hamid bin Rashed, Chief of Ejman, Sheikh Abdoola bin Rashed, Chief of Umm-ool-Keiweyn, having experienced for a series of years the benefits and advantages resulting from a maritime truce contracted amongst ourselves under the mediation of the Resident in the Persian Gulf and renewed from time to time up to the present period, and being fully impressed, therefore, with a sense of evil consequence formerly arising, from the prosecution of our feuds at sea, whereby our subjects and dependants were prevented from carrying on the pearl fishery in security, and were exposed to interruption and molestation when passing on their lawful occasions, accordingly, we, as aforesaid have determined, for ourselves, our heirs and successors, to conclude together a lasting and inviolable peace from this time forth in perpetuity.
Taken from Britain and Saudi Arabia, 1925-1939: the Imperial Oasis, by Clive Leatherdale
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Brief scores:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
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The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):
British group
Coldplay
Foals
Bring me the Horizon
D-Block Europe
Bastille
British Female
Mabel
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
Stormzy
Best new artist
Aitch
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
Best album
Stormzy - Heavy is the Head
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Rising star
Celeste
Joy Crookes
beabadoobee
The Dark Blue Winter Overcoat & Other Stories From the North
Edited and Introduced by Sjón and Ted Hodgkinson
Pushkin Press
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
THE SPECS
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 275hp at 6,600rpm
Torque: 353Nm from 1,450-4,700rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Top speed: 250kph
Fuel consumption: 6.8L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: Dh146,999
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
The%20specs%3A%20Panamera%20Turbo%20E-Hybrid
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