Shah Rukh Khan told me I should learn how to act: Kajol

She may be a name to reckon with in the acting world but Kajol admits that she learnt the craft hands-on, one film at a time.

Ahead of her upcoming film 'Helicopter Eela', Kajol, one of the most spontaneous actors in the industry spoke to a news agency and stated that she has grown with each of her films. The actress recalled that Shah Rukh Khan, with whom she has done several blockbuster films, told her on the sets of Baazingar to learn how to act.

I remember having a conversation during 'Baazigar' with Shah Rukh Khan and he told me, I should learn how to act and I was like, 'I am doing so fabulously well'. He told me I need to burn out as an actor, I felt, he talks nonsense sometimes.

"But when I was shooting for 'Udhar Ki Zindagi', I was like, 'I can't do films that are so heavy, it sucks so much out of you'. I did not want to do that anymore."
Kajol termed 'Bekhudi', 'Udhar Ki Zindagi' (1994) and 'Dushman' (1998) as her favourites.

Kajol remembered discussing with Tanuja that she wanted to do lighter films and not be part of emotionally draining movies.

"... I (told her) that I want to do films with three songs, three scenes, etc. So I signed up films like 'Hulchul' and 'Gundaraj', among others."

But after taking up a series of light-hearted films, Kajol changed her mind and featured in a hard-hitting film like 'Dushman'. The actor says she had initially rejected the project."I had said 'no' to it because I did not want to do a film with a rape scene in it. I didn't want to enact that. I felt it would be difficult for me. I am not comfortable with somebody doing that to me on-screen, even for a shot or whatever," Kajol added.

But director Tanuja Chandra and producer Pooja Bhatt assured her that they will shoot the scene aesthetically and use a body double.It was 'Dushman' that helped Kajol master the art of body language, she said.

Kajol said with Karan Johar's directorial debut 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', she realised the importance of chemistry between co-stars.

"What I realised is that when you have fun off-screen, it translates on screen. Your off-screen equation is conveyed on screen. There is some relatability that comes on screen... You don't know what is it that attracts people," the actor, who featured opposite long-time friend Shah Rukh, said.

(With PTI Inputs)