Kajol

Kajol Devgan (née Mukherjee) (born 5 August 1974),[1] known mononymously as Kajol, is an Indian film actress who predominantly works in Hindi cinema. Born into the Mukherjee-Samarth family, she is the daughter of actress Tanuja and late filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee. Through her Bollywood career, Kajol has established herself as one of the most popular actresses in India. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including six Filmfare Awards, among twelve nominations, and along with her late aunt Nutan, holds the record for most Best Actress wins at Filmfare, with five.[2] In 2011, the Government of India awarded her with the Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honour of the country.

Kajol made her acting debut with the unsuccessful romantic drama Bekhudi (1992), while still in school. She quit her studies to pursue acting, and had her first commercial successes with the thriller Baazigar (1993). She subsequently rose to prominence by playing the lead female role in several romantic dramas, including Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge (1995), Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya (1998), Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998), Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). Kajol also garnered critical acclaim for playing against type in the 1997 mystery film Gupt: The Hidden Truth and the 1998 psychological thriller Dushman. Following a sabbatical from full-time acting in 2001, Kajol returned to films with the 2006 romantic thriller Fanaa, and continued working infrequently thereafter, playing leading roles in the dramas U Me Aur Hum (2008), My Name Is Khan (2010), We Are Family (2010), and the comedy-drama Dilwale (2015). She, thus, established herself as one of India's most successful actresses.[3][4]

Kajol was born in Mumbai to the Mukherjee-Samarth film family of Bengali-Marathi descent. Her mother, Tanuja, is an actress, while her father Shomu Mukherjee was a film director and producer.[5] Shomu died in 2008 after suffering cardiac arrest.[6] Kajol's younger sister, Tanishaa Mukherjee is also an actress. Her maternal aunt was actress Nutan and her maternal grandmother, Shobhna Samarth, and great grandmother, Rattan Bai, were both involved in Hindi cinema. Her paternal uncles, Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee, are film producers, while her paternal grandfather, Sashadhar Mukherjee, was a filmmaker. Kajol's cousins Rani Mukerji, Sharbani Mukherjee and Mohnish Behl are also Bollywood actors; whereas another cousin of hers, Ayan Mukerji is a director.[7][8][9]