Working over three decades in the industry, Kajol has always explored genres and themes that delve more on relationships and blood ties. After Helicopter Eela and Tribhanga that centres down to motherhood, Kajol is all geared up again to portray herself as a mother in her Friday release Salaam Venky.
Ahead of its release, Kajol along with Vishal Jethwa and director Revathy made their recent pit-stop to Kolkata for a round of promotion. Helmed by Revathy, Salaam Venky is a story based on Shrikant Murthy’s The Last Hurrah. The film tells the story of a young boy Venky who believes in living life like a massive celebration, despite of his deteriorating health conditions.
Vishal Jethwa portrays the character of Venky who suffers from an uncurable disease duchenne muscular dystrophy. Kajol essays the character of Sujata, Venky’s mother. The film is a documentation of a mother’s unconditional love for her child that eventually helps overcome challenges and achieve the impossible.
Speaking about the film Kajol said, “It’s a great responsibility actually when you are playing a real life character. You have to justify the role and if I have to live with the film so does Sujata. It is not something you can gloss over or take many cinematic liberties. Our biggest test will be when Sujata walks into the theatre and watches the film. Hopefully she’ll give us passing marks.”
Though Kajol has played the role of mother in films earlier, she didn’t want to do this film initially. “It was an instant ‘No.’ I don’t want to do films where I have to see my child dying or suffering. After I became a mother in real life, I became very cautious about that thing. When Revathy ma’am approached me for this, I said I don’t want to do this film. But when I heard the script I just loved it and couldn’t refuse anymore,” said the actress.
Vishal Jethwa who has earlier worked with Kajol’s sister, Rani Mukherjee in Mardani 2, said, “I am a bit afraid of the Mukherjee sisters. But it was a great opportunity for me to get to work with Kajol ma’am and I was so nervous. Revathy ma’am told me that you just come to the set, Kajol will do her acting and you just respond to that and it will be done. She’ll do the rest. That’s what happened I think.”
Presented by Connekkt Media and Produced by Suuraj Sinngh, Shraddha Agarwal and Varsha Kukreja under the banner BLIVE Productions and RTAKE Studios, Salaam Venky is set to release in cinemas on December 9, 2022.