How Kajol broke Bollywood's beauty standards and set an example for all

In an industry where conformity was the norm, Kajol refused to conform and remained tall. When fair skin, chiseled features, and Euro features were the requirements to become a Bollywood heroine, Kajol walked into the frame with her dark skin, uni-brow, and a self that wasn't about to be budged. She did not only break the rules, but she also dismantled them, quietly and stealthily.

While the public adored her characters in ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, and ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’, they were also learning subconsciously that beauty did not have to be one way. That it could have messy curls, wear glasses, and be just as attractive.

The Kajol effect: How one actor made a difference

Folks don't credit Kajol enough for how she redefined beauty in Bollywood and how much of a difference that made to young women who watched her. Even Sonam Kapoor, who is herself usually described as a fashion icon, once said to Barkha Dutt during a Mojo Story interview that Kajol made her feel less isolated.

Sonam was struggling with hormone imbalances causing acne and facial hair, and at a time when the world and the media were not nice to flaws, watching Kajol own her unibrow with confidence provided Sonam with the inspiration to accept her own individuality. That is the Kajol effect subdued, consistent, and profoundly effective.

"They called me dark and fat… I knew I was better"

But Kajol's path wasn't without obstacles. Speaking openly to Humans of Bombay, she revealed she was taunted for her skin color, her weight, and her spectacles. "There were quite a few tags at that time, 'she is dark, she is fat, she wears specs all the time,'" she said. Rather than letting those words get to her, she packaged them up in a box. "I used to think I was so much smarter than all these people who are commenting on me and I still believe so."

Her attitude towards decades of criticism was legendary: "When they were unable to pull me down, the world just hugged me for being myself."

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Why Kajol's legacy matters more than ever

In 2025, when social media filters are reality and 'perfect' selfies are currency, Kajol's tale is more appropriate than ever before. In an age where thousands of girls feel insecure about their complexion, their figure, or the shape of their nose, Kajol is a reminder that beauty isn't about conforming, it's about not shrinking.

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She didn't merely act in iconic movies. She embodied an iconic reality: that to be yourself is the most gorgeous thing you can be.