Kajol on industry work hours: “Never did 20-hour days, producers were always supportive”

As the film industry continues to grapple with conversations around mental health and labour practices, Kajol has added her voice to the ongoing discourse, stating that she has never worked punishing 20-hour shifts, thanks to clear personal boundaries and supportive producers.

With horror-thriller Maa releasing soon, Kajol opens up about industry work ethics, motherhood on set, and why she finally said yes to a horror film

In a candid interview ahead of the release of her upcoming film Maa, Kajol, who began her career in the 1990s, said she always maintained a strong work-life balance—long before it became a talking point.

“I was one of the few people who worked on one film at a time,” the 50-year-old actor recalled. “I didn’t do four films simultaneously. I didn’t work for 20 or 30 hours. I made it very clear from the beginning that there would be limits.” The timing of her remarks is significant, coming just as actor Deepika Padukone’s reported exit from Spirit sparked a wider conversation on shooting hours in the Hindi film industry.

Kajol credited her mother, veteran actor Tanuja, for instilling those boundaries early on, and said most producers were more than willing to accommodate her. She shared that even during difficult personal moments—like shooting U Me Aur Hum while her father was hospitalised and her daughter Nysa was just two—her husband and producer Ajay Devgn ensured she could leave early. “I’ve had wonderful experiences. Even during Fanaa, the team worked around my schedule without making a fuss or formalising it in a contract. People do understand, and they make it work,” she said.

Kajol returns to the big screen in Maa, a supernatural thriller directed by Vishal Furia (Lapachhapi, Chhorii) and releasing in cinemas on June 27. Produced by Devgn Films and Jio Studios, the film follows a mother who channels Goddess Kali to battle a dark curse. The film, Kajol revealed, began as a thriller but evolved into full-blown horror. “I’ve always been a mythology buff, and the script really resonated with the times we live in—Kalyug and all,” she said. Despite not being drawn to horror as a genre, she credited Vishal’s narrative focus for convincing her. “Earlier, horror films were all about blood and gore, with little attention to story. Maa is different,” she added. Also on her slate are Maharagini with Prabhudeva and Naseeruddin Shah, Karan Johar’s Sarzameen, and Season 2 of The Trial. “After 34 years in the industry, I think I’ve worked more this year than in the last decade combined,” Kajol said with a laugh.

For more updates, join/follow our WhatsApp, Telegram and YouTube channels.