Kajol clarifies her ‘actors work harder than 9-5 employees’ remark: ‘You can take tea breaks, we can’t’
Published on: Oct 14, 2025 10:54 am IST
Kajol’s comments on actors’ demanding work sparked online debate. She explained the intense pressure of acting, contrasting it with 9-to-5 jobs.
Actor Kajol recently sparked an online debate after saying that actors work harder than those with regular 9-to-5 jobs. The statement, made during the second episode of her chat show Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle featuring Alia Bhatt and Varun Dhawan, drew sharp criticism on Reddit, with many calling it “tone-deaf.” Now, Kajol has clarified her stance, explaining why she believes acting is an exceptionally demanding profession.
Kajol talks about theintense environment at film sets
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kajol went on to describe the intense nature of being on set. “It’s a very on-the-ball kind of job. When you’re shooting, you have to be 100 per cent there. We shot continuously for about 35 to 40 days (for The Trial second season). You have to work out, eat right, and maintain your body because even a small change affects your look and costumes. That’s a huge pressure.”
The DDLJ actor also drew a comparison between acting and corporate jobs, noting that, unlike office employees, actors have no downtime. “When you’re doing a 9-to-5 job, you can take tea breaks or just relax for a bit. We can’t. We’re constantly being watched, how we sit, cross our legs, smile, or even move. Every moment is scrutinised. It’s like being a kettle that’s always boiling; you’re always alert, always a little paranoid. That’s how we live.”
Kajol’s latest work
Kajol’s recent work in 2025 included the mythological horror film Maa. On the digital front, Kajol co-hosts the talk show Two Much with Kajol and Twinkle alongside Twinkle Khanna, available on Prime Video. She was also part of Ibrahim Ali Khan and Prithiviraj Sukumaran starrer Sarzameen, which directly released on Jiohotstar. Kajol was also in the news for winning her seventh Filmfare award recently, along with Shah Rukh Khan.
