‘A truck pulled up next to me and…’: Kajol reveals the moment she realised DDLJ’s true impact
Published on: Dec 16, 2025 02:04 pm IST
Kajol highlights the changing narrative for women in OTT, noting increased audience engagement and representation.
At the Just Too Filmy Best of OTT Roundtable 2025, Kajol reflected on how success reveals itself in the most unexpected ways — often far removed from box-office numbers or headlines.
Recalling the release of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Kajol shared a moment that made the scale of the film’s impact unmistakably clear. “I was driving back from Film City and stopped at a signal. A truck pulled up next to me and the driver just looked at me,” she said with a laugh. “That’s when it hits you — okay, something has really connected.”
Thirty years later, with a statue of DDLJ unveiled at London’s Leicester Square, Kajol admitted the recognition still feels surreal. “We had shot there for the film, and now to see a statue there — it’s unbelievable. It also shows how far our stories travel.”
Speaking about her OTT journey with The Trial, Kajol noted that it isn’t just her choices that have evolved — audiences have too. “Women are seeing themselves differently now,” she said. “When they recognise parts of themselves on screen, it becomes far more engaging. There are more women watching, more women engaging, and that’s changing storytelling.”
The Just Too Filmy Best of OTT roundtable also featured Sameer Nair, Vikramaditya Motwane, Abhishek Banerjee, Rasika Duggal, Bilal Siddiqui, and Nagesh Kukunoor. Watch the full episode on the Hindustan Times and Just Too Filmy YouTube channels.
