Kajal Aggarwal recalls refusing objectifying scenes in South cinema: 'You're not throwing fruits on my navel'

Kajal Aggarwal (Pic/Instagram)

Janhvi Kapoor's role in Peddi recently sparked a debate over the portrayal of female characters and concerns around objectification. Amid the conversation, Kajal Aggarwal has opened up about how South cinema has evolved in its treatment of women on screen. The actor said the industry is now moving towards more liberal and coming-of-age roles, adding that she always drew the line when it came to certain portrayals.

Kajal on stepping away from Bollywood

After sharing screen space with some of the biggest stars in Bollywood, Kajal Aggarwal dabbled in South cinema as she felt she wasn't getting her due. Explaining how she got substantial projects there, she recalled, "The quality of work I was getting down South was not something I was getting in Bollywood. The roles that I wanted, my priority was quality over quantity, and South was giving me such roles in abundance, so why would I do average roles in Bollywood? My priority was qualitative cinema. Language was never a barrier for me."

Opening up about how things down South are punctual, Kajal added, "Bollywood should learn punctuality from the South. In Hindi films, nothing is on time. In the South, they work by the clock. I am used to reaching on time, and I like it that way. In Hindi, the timings are very off."

Kajal recalls waiting for Salman Khan

When asked which star has made her wait the longest, Kajal recalled, "Salman Khan has made me wait the longest, and I was not used to it. I wondered what was happening. He came around afternoon or evening, so I would go to exercise in the gym, which was on set. I am used to the punctuality and discipline of South cinema."

Kajal Aggarwal on South cinema's portrayal of women

Kajal also reflected on how South cinema has evolved in its portrayal of women. "South is now learning to write liberal roles for female protagonists from Bollywood, and also coming-of-age roles. They are no longer obsessed with female navels. I always drew the line and never did such roles. You are not throwing fruits on my navel, boss!" Kajal said.

On the work front, Kajal will next be seen in The India Story alongside Shreyas Talpade. The film is based on agriculture and the use of pesticides in India. She is also playing a prominent role in Nitesh Tiwari's Ramayana.