Kajol has always been open about her deep admiration and love for her mother, the legendary actress Tanuja. However, in a recent conversation, Kajol shared a deeply personal and lesser-known story that illuminates the profound bond she shares not only with her mother but with the generations of women who shaped her.
It’s a poignant narrative of affection, youthful defiance, and the quiet strength forged in a home surrounded by powerful female figures.
During an interview, Kajol fondly recounted her formative years, spent in a home bustling with four generations of women: her great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, and herself. This matriarchal upbringing left an indelible mark on her. When her great-grandmother’s health began to decline, an 11-year-old Kajol’s determination to be by her side transcended distance and even school rules. “I got to know that my maternal grandmother’s mother was very sick. I called my mom, but she didn’t allow me to come back home because I had exams. My holidays were in December, so she asked me to come in December only. I was 11 at that time,” she said, recalling the moment with striking clarity years later.
Overcome with emotion and a strong will to act, young Kajol concocted a plan to escape her boarding school in Panchgani, nearly five hours from Mumbai. She wasn’t alone in her resolve. “Another one of my friends was also unhappy, and we both decided to run away from the boarding school. We both decided to go to Bombay,” she recalled with a blend of amusement and nostalgia.
She even managed to get halfway to her destination. “I went to my local guardian, my mama in Panchgani, and I told him that mom has called me home. I asked him to take me to the bus stand,” she recounted. Yet, her great escape was ultimately thwarted. “While I was waiting in the bus, the nuns came, and they pulled me by my ear and took me back to the school.”
Despite that rebellious detour, Kajol holds nothing but fondness for her boarding school days. In fact, she credits that period of her life with instilling in her resilience, independence, and the ability to navigate society. “There, kids learn the value of their parents. It makes you better at adapting to society,” she said. So profound is her belief in the transformative power of a boarding school education that she sent her daughter, Nysa, to one, and she has the same plan for her 14-year-old son, Yug. “I like boarding schools, and I sent Nysa also to one. Now, I want to send my son Yug as well to the boarding school,” she confirmed.
Have you been to a boarding school?
