Actress Kajol has played a variety of roles in the last three decades, but now she is playing a never-before-seen kind of role in her latest film, ‘Maa.’ She is playing the role of a mother who goes beyond any limit to save her daughter from a devil. In a candid interview with Yogesh Mishra, she spoke about her role in ‘Maa,’ how the idea behind the story came about for Maa, how she rates Ajay Devgn as a director, her day schedule as a mother, and more.
Yogesh Mishra | yogesh@bollywoodtown.in
Your upcoming film ‘Maa’ is based on a devil. Can we say that you are starting a new devil’s universe?
I hope so. But this is a completely different film. The world is completely different. The tagline of this basically is evil versus faith.
‘Maa’ is a mythological horror. It’s something new that we are listening to. As you said, this story is inspired by the devil Raktbeej but applied in a modern-day story. So, how did this idea come about?
Like I said, this story came to me as a concept. And I said, I really like this story. And yes, if it happened in today’s day and time, what would happen? So, it was that. Because we could not have shown it as only mythological. It would have been a different film altogether. So, I think it’s important that if we make a movie today, it has to connect to every audience. We can’t just take one particular audience. If you want to make a movie at this level, you have to cater to a wider audience. And a lot of people haven’t heard the story of the Raktbeej. And that’s why our working title was Maa.
How the title ‘Maa’ came about for this film—was there any other alternative to this?
We were thinking that we will get a better title than this. And we had a lot of thoughts on what to write and what to make of it. But in the end, I think we realized that the word Maa had so many layers. We are talking about that, Maa. We are talking about Maa’s emotion. So, there were so many things in it. So, we thought that the title and the combination of modern day and mythology would be perfect for this particular picture.
Do you watch horror films?
I don’t watch them. I have been giving you interviews for so many years. Have you ever thought that I watch horror films?
But you will watch this horror film (Maa). Right?
I will have to watch this film for work. What I have done on screen. I will have to watch that. I don’t have a choice in the matter. But if I were given a choice, it would have been different if it was someone else in the film.
Ajay Devgn is also a producer. How easy or tough is it to convince him to produce your film?
He has to convince me first. He has to convince me to do this film? Why should I convince him to do the film (laughs)?
How is Ajay Devgn as a director?
I have always said he is a fabulous director. He didn’t get a chance to direct much of this film. I have always said he is a fabulous director. I would love to work with him again.
Any particular character from mythology, like Chandi, Durga, and the like, that you would like to play in the future?
I have no idea. I don’t think so. I think that the chance that I got in this film, the role of a mother, the character of Ambika in this picture, I think, is a very big thing for me. Not because, I mean, it’s a great film. It’s a very good picture. We have worked a lot on it. But the fact that, you know, I have the hand of Goddess Kali on my head, and, you know, I feel that I should have done this. It was right for me. And I will not say in any sense that I am Kali, and I am Chandi. But I will say that the hand of the goddess is on my head. And whatever happens in life, we will see.
Do you feel that there is any pressure on women to become supermoms?
In fact, I feel that there is a lot of pressure. And, supermom, as they say, I think, touch wood, so many women have started working. They have started working outside. Not at home, from unpaid jobs, they have gone to paid jobs now. And our workforce is increasing by the day, with the right gender. And I think it will be interesting to see what happens in the future. So, as far as the mother role is concerned, I think that no one can replace a mother. But I think I would like to see what the fathers do with their children as well in the future.
You are playing the role of a real-life mother too. How is your day schedule?
My day schedules? Don’t ask me. I think the role of a mother never ends, even while sleeping. So, if you ask me about my day schedule, I have been playing the role of a mother for the last 22 years. And it has never stopped. I sleep, I wake up, and whatever I do, I am playing the role of a mother all my life.
