‘You Can Chill, We Can’t’: Kajol Defends Her Take On Acting Being Tougher Than 9-5 Jobs

Kajol defended her claim that actors work harder than 9-5 employees after online backlash. She highlighted the constant pressure, long hours, and need for 100% presence.

Kajol defended her claim that actors work harder than 9-5 employees after online backlash.

Source : Instagram

Kajol recently found herself at the centre of a heated online debate after her comment about actors working harder than 9-5 employees went viral. The statement, made during the second episode of her talk show Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle featuring Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan, sparked backlash on Reddit, where many netizens called her words “tone-deaf.”

Days after the controversy, Kajol has now addressed the criticism and elaborated on why she believes being an actor is more demanding than a regular desk job. In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, the actress explained that actors don’t have the luxury of “letting loose” or “taking breaks” and must remain “100 percent present” throughout long, intense workdays.

Kajol Explains the Reality Behind the Glamour

When asked to elaborate on her earlier statement, Kajol shared an example from her own routine, revealing the effort that goes into what many perceive as a “glamorous” life.

“I was at an event in Jaipur. The flight to Jaipur is at 7 am, by the way. So I reached there, and the event was at about 3 pm in the afternoon. Somebody asked me, ‘You have such a glamorous life.’ I said, you’re only looking at it from the point of view that, oh she is so well dressed, and she’s got makeup and she’s sitting here in front of me.”

She continued,“But you don’t know that I took the 7 am flight in the morning, for which I had to wake up at 5 and reach the airport by 6. Then I came here, got dressed, got ready, had lunch, did photos, one interview, and then came to sit here. So I’ve had a packed day from 5 in the morning.”

“You Have to Be There 100 Percent”

Opening up further about the demanding nature of her job, Kajol emphasized how mentally and physically exhausting acting can be.

“It’s a very, very on-the-ball and on-the-job kind of job. If you’re there, you have to be there 100 percent. Yes, there are actors who are not a 100 percent all the time. But for me, when I’m shooting for a film especially, you’re shooting continuously for 45 days.”

She mentioned her recent experience while shooting The Trial season 2: “We shot for about 35-40 days almost continuously. And it was 35-40 days of waking up in the morning, getting your workout in, sorting your food — everything has to be bang on. You can’t put on even one inch anywhere because your clothes won’t fit you anymore. That’s a huge pressure. It’s really big.”

Kajol Says Desk Job Employees Can ‘Chill’, But Actors Can’t

Comparing the two professions, Kajol explained why she feels actors have a more challenging routine.

“If you’re not shooting for a film, you’re shooting for something else. You’re attending an event. It’s continuous. And I have to be 100 percent present all the time. To be 100 percent present, for 12-14 hours a day, is really difficult.”

She elaborated on the difference between acting and regular office jobs, saying,“When you’re doing a 9-5 job and sitting at a desk, you don’t have to be 100 percent present. You’re doing your job for that period of time. You can take your tea breaks. I’m not saying we don’t take our tea or coffee breaks, but you can chill out, let loose, walk, talk, and do your job at the same time. We can’t.”

“We’re Always Being Watched”

Kajol concluded by describing the constant scrutiny actors face, both on and off the camera.

“We are scrutinized and looked at. We have to worry about how we cross our legs, how we sit, where we are, who’s looking at us, who’s photographing us at every point in time. It’s a lot of pressure.”

“You’re constantly like this little kettle that’s boiling over 24/7. You are always looking around, always a little paranoid. We live like that.”