Latest news with #KamalSadanah
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Bollywood star who debuted with Kajol saw his family killed in front of him; father shot mother, sister before turning the gun on himself
Bollywood is often presented like a glamorous town where one's most unimaginable dreams can come true, but the dark side of the film industry, where people deal with their demons is often brushed under the carpet. The discussion of mental health in an industry as public as the movies is often conducted in hushed tones in today's day and age so one can only imagine how people must have addressed it 35 years ago. Actor Kamal Sadanah, who made his debut with actor Kajol in the 1992 film Bekhudi, went through a dark phase in his life and it all started on his 20th birthday when his father shot him, his mother and his sister, and then himself. Kamal was the only member of the family who survived this shooting. Kamal is now 54, but the scars that were inflicted on him at 20, are yet to fully heal themselves. Kamal saw his entire family get killed in front of his eyes as his father, who was in an inebriated state, shot everyone one by one. Kamal was shot as well. The bullet entered from one side of his neck, and exited from the other side, without causing any severe damage. In an earlier interview with Siddharth Kannan, Kamal shared that his father was not in his senses when the incident took place. 'I had to carry my mother and my sister to the hospital while they were bleeding and at that time I didn't realise that I was also shot,' he recalled in the same interview and said that when he reached the hospital with his mother and sister, the doctor wondered why his shirt was soaked in blood. When the doctor realised that Kamal was also injured, he sent him to another hospital as this one did not have enough beds. 'I just told the doctor that you keep my mother and sister alive. I was also trying to check on my father,' he said. Kamal also had to undergo surgery as the bullet has passed through his neck. When he woke up, and was taken home, he saw the dead bodies of all his family members in his house. 35 years later, Kamal continues to live in the same house. 'I have always looked at it that way… I was also shot, I had a bullet go through one side of my neck and come out on the other side of my neck and I survived it. There's no logical reason for me to survive. It's almost as if the bullet dodged every nerve and came out on the other side. And I survived without any physical problems. It went through my neck. There's a reason why I survived it. Let me move ahead and let me find that reason, let me live well,' he said. ALSO READ | Guru Dutt's muse Waheeda Rehman went from being his inspiration to getting banished from his studio: 'He was a married man; didn't kiss and tell' Despite the traumatic incident, Kamal said that even though this was a 'bad incident', it does not mean that his 'entire childhood or my family in their entirety were bad people or my father was a bad person.' Two years after this, Kamal made his debut in films. Following this, he appeared in a few Hindi films through the 1990s. He also directed and produced a couple of films like Roar: Tigers of the Sundarbans and Victoria No 203.
India.com
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet actress who was once called 'too dark', later became Bollywood's leading lady, now her net worth is Rs..., she is...
She wasn't Bollywood's 'it girl' when she entered the scene—far from it. Called 'too dark,' 'too fat,' and 'too nerdy,' Kajol walked into the film industry with zero filters and even fewer expectations. The actress burst onto the screen in 1992 at age 18 with Bekhudi, co-starring Kamal Sadanah. The film was panned and flopped hard. In a 2023 Humans of Bombay interview, she reflected on the criticism and said, 'She is dark, she is fat, and she wears specs all the time. These were some of the judgments… I couldn't care less.' Her confidence proved stronger than any disparaging remark. How did she flip the script? Just a year later, fate smiled back with Baazigar, opposite Shah Rukh Khan. The thriller became a blockbuster and signalled a powerful turnaround. From there, Kajol's career trajectory transformed completely—she never looked back. What made her Bollywood's leading lady? Over three decades, Kajol claimed iconic roles in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Fanaa, Gupt, Dushman, and Tanhaji—to name a few. She shares the record for most Filmfare Best Actress awards (five) alongside Nutan, bagging wins for DDLJ, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, KKKH Gham, Fanaa, and My Name Is Khan. Kajol's net worth Financial Express reports a staggering net worth of Rs 250 crore, with annual earnings around Rs 25 crore. A powerhouse on screen and off, she continues to be sought after as the face of brands like Google Play, Kellogg's, Tata Salt, and Kwality Walls—building a lasting commercial empire. Kajol's most recent release Maa, hit cinemas today and marks her first full-fledged horror film. Directed by Vishal Furia, the film blends mythological horror with maternal grit, portraying Kajol as a mother battling a demonic curse to protect her daughter. Backed by Ajay Devgn's production, Maa has already sparked conversation for its chilling visuals and emotional depth, with early reactions praising Kajol's commanding performance and the film's atmospheric intensity. From a bruising debut that could have broken her to a reign of triumph, Kajol's journey is proof that self-belief can outshine every doubt. She's not just the girl who wore specs—she's the icon who redefined Bollywood.
