Why did Kajol slapped Kamal Sadanah?

When Kajol slapped Kamal Sadanah in Bekhudi, how did his eyes fill with tears?

Initial hesitation

While shooting for 16-year-old Kajol‘s debut film, Bekhudi (1992), a slapping scene shook her completely.

The innocence of the character and the emotional touch attached to it made her nervous from the start.

The director instructed Kamal Sadanah to slap, but Kajol was unable to lift her hand.

The first shot was just a light tap, which did not capture the emotion and several retakes had to be taken.

The anxiety of that first day shook her from within.

Moral conflict

For Kajal, the whole thing became a moral conflict. There was no one guilty on the set; rather, co-star Kamal Sadanah proved to be very polite and cooperative.

Every time the camera was turned on, her consciousness said, “Why should I hurt an innocent?”

Instead of being comfortable in the action sequence, her heart kept breaking from within.

This realization raised the question of what she should prefer between the demands of acting and her inner ethics.

The director’s challenge

When the retakes were being done again and again, director Rahul Rawail changed the atmosphere with a harsh word.

He said, “I think you really want to slap him, that’s why you are repeating the same scene every time.”

This comment became the biggest challenge for Kajol—will she stick to her ethics or move forward, taking a professional decision?

This question aroused a mixture of both anger and focus within her.

A perfect take and breakdown

Then, as the camera turned to an exact location, Kajol let out that anger and hesitation from within herself.

As soon as the role ended after a perfect take, she lost control of herself and burst into tears.

The shooting crew silently gave the life sign of approval, but the emotional storm rising inside Kajol was visible in everyone’s eyes.

Immediately, she apologised to Kamal, “I think I did wrong to you.”

That breakdown showed how deep the real emotions are behind the scenes.

The journey ahead

Today, Kajol is considered the outspoken heroine of Bollywood, but that first slap made her aware of her sensitivity.

Despite dozens of successful films and the ups and downs of her personal life, she strengthened herself every time.

Her journey in the public eye since the age of 16 was not easy, but the audience accepted her at every turn.

Now she is returning in the role of lawyer Noyonika Sengupta in JioHotstar’s The Trial Season 2 – Pyaar Kanoon Dhokha.

With new cases and family fabric, this season will prove to be a celebration of her maturity.