Why Kajal Aggarwal chose South Cinema over Bollywo…
Actor Kajal Aggarwal has opened up about why she chose to focus more on South Indian cinema than Bollywood during her two-decade-long career. In a recent interview, the actress said the decision was driven by the quality of roles and the professionalism she experienced in the South Indian film industry.
Born into a Punjabi family in Amritsar, the 41-year-old actress has successfully balanced careers in both Hindi and South Indian cinema. However, she revealed that she received stronger scripts and more meaningful characters in Telugu and Tamil films, making it easier for her to prioritize projects in the South.
Kajal explained that she never wanted to accept average or uninspiring roles simply to remain active in Bollywood.Instead, she chose films that challenged her as an actor and allowed her to grow professionally. According to her, South Indian filmmakers consistently offered better opportunities that matched her expectations and career goals.
Speaking about the differences between the two industries, Kajal highlighted professionalism and punctuality as one of South cinema’s biggest strengths. She said film sets in the South operate according to strict schedules, with cast and crew respecting call times and production timelines.
In contrast, she noted that delays are common in Bollywood, where work often does not begin on time. Kajal admitted that she is accustomed to disciplined work environments and prefers productions that value time management. She suggested that Bollywood could benefit from adopting the same level of punctuality practiced in the South Indian film industry.
The actress also reflected on her experience working alongside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in the film Sikandar. Kajal revealed that she was excited to share the screen with the actor because he had been her childhood crush. However, she humorously recalled that Salman was the co-star who made her wait the longest on set.
She said that while waiting for filming to begin, she often spent time exercising in the gym available on the set. Kajal added that her habit of arriving on time comes from years of working in South cinema, where schedules are generally followed more strictly.
Kajal Aggarwal made her acting debut in the 2004 Hindi film Kyun…! Ho Gaya Na before rising to fame in Telugu and Tamil cinema. Over the years, she has become one of the industry’s most successful and highest-paid actresses. She is next set to appear in The India Story, directed by Chetan DK and co-starring Shreyas Talpade.
