Kajal Aggarwal

Early Life & Education

Born on June 19, 1985 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Kajal Aggarwal comes from a middle-class Punjabi family with roots in Amritsar. Her father Vinay Agarwal and mother Suman Agarwal provided her with a stable upbringing alongside her younger sister Nisha Agarwal, who is also an actress. Kajal completed her initial education in Mumbai and later pursued Mass Media at KC College. During her final year internship with L’Oréal, she was discovered by a photographer, which marked her entry into the modeling world.

Career Journey

Debut and Early Struggles (2004-2008)

Kajal made her acting debut with a minor role in the 2004 Hindi film Kyun! Ho Gaya Na…, playing the friend of lead actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Her Telugu debut came with Lakshmi Kalyanam (2007) opposite Kalyan Ram, which was a box office failure. However, the same year’s Chandamama became her first major successful film and established her presence in Telugu cinema.

In 2008, she ventured into Tamil cinema with Pazhani opposite Bharath and had guest appearances in films like Saroja. Despite mixed results with Pourudu and Aatadista, these films helped her gain experience across different regional industries.

Breakthrough Success (2009-2012)

The turning point came with S.S. Rajamouli’s epic Magadheera (2009), where she played the dual roles of Yuvaraani Mithravindha Devi and Indira. The film became the biggest blockbuster in Telugu cinema at that time and earned her a Filmfare nomination for Best Actress. This success established her as one of the most sought-after actresses in South Indian cinema.

Her momentum continued with successful films like Darling (2010), Brindavanam (2010) opposite Jr. NTR and Samantha, which won her the CineMAA Award for Best Actress, and Mr. Perfect (2011) with Prabhas. In 2011, she made her Bollywood comeback with Singham opposite Ajay Devgn, earning a Filmfare nomination for Best Female Debut.

The year 2012 proved exceptional with Businessman opposite Mahesh Babu and the blockbuster Thuppakki with Vijay, where she played boxer Nisha. The film became the second Tamil film to cross the ₹100 crore mark and won her the SIIMA Critics Award for Best Actress.

Sustained Success (2013-2017)

Kajal delivered consistent hits including Naayak (2013) with Ram Charan, the critically acclaimed heist thriller Special 26 (2013) with Akshay Kumar, and Baadshah (2013) with Jr. NTR. Her performance in Govindudu Andarivadele (2014) opposite Ram Charan earned her a fourth Filmfare nomination.

Notable films during this period include Temper (2015), Sardaar Gabbar Singh (2016) with Pawan Kalyan, high-profile Tamil projects Vivegam (2017) and Mersal (2017) with Vijay, and successful Telugu films Khaidi No. 150 and Nene Raju Nene Mantri (2017).

Recent Work (2018-Present)

In recent years, Kajal has taken on diverse roles including the psychological thriller Awe (2018), action films MLA (2018) and Kavacham (2018), and the titular role in Sita (2019). She made her digital debut with the Tamil series Live Telecast (2021) and appeared in Bollywood films Mumbai Saga (2021) and Mosagallu (2021).

Her 2024 releases include Satyabhama where she played an IPS officer, and a cameo in Indian 2. Most notably, she starred opposite Salman Khan in Sikandar (2025), marking her return to big-budget Bollywood productions.

Filmography

Major Hindi Films: Kyun! Ho Gaya Na…, Singham, Special 26, Do Lafzon Ki Kahani, Mumbai Saga, Sikandar

Notable Telugu Films: Chandamama, Magadheera, Darling, Brindavanam, Mr. Perfect, Businessman, Naayak, Baadshah, Govindudu Andarivadele, Temper, Khaidi No. 150, Nene Raju Nene Mantri, Awe, Bhagavanth Kesari, Satyabhama

Prominent Tamil Films: Pazhani, Naan Mahaan Alla, Thuppakki, Jilla, Vivegam, Mersal, Comali, Hey Sinamika

Net Worth & Lifestyle

Kajal Aggarwal’s estimated net worth is ₹83 crore (~$10 million) as of 2025, making her one of the highest-paid actresses in South Indian cinema. She commands ₹1.5-4 crore per film and earns approximately ₹14 crore annually through films and endorsements.

Assets & Properties:

• Mumbai Residence: Lives in a luxurious apartment in upscale neighborhoods like Marine Drive, valued between ₹20-30 crore
• Car Collection: Owns luxury vehicles including Mini Cooper and Audi, with total collection worth over ₹3 crore

Awards & Recognition

• 3 SIIMA Awards
• 4 Filmfare Awards South nominations
• CineMAA Award for Best Actress (Brindavanam, Thuppakki)
• SIIMA Critics Award for Best Actress (Thuppakki)
• 6 total wins and 20 nominations

In 2020, she became the first South Indian actress to have a wax figure displayed at Madame Tussauds Singapore.

Personal Life & Marriage

Kajal married entrepreneur Gautam Kitchlu on October 30, 2020 in an intimate ceremony. Gautam is a successful businessman, and the couple welcomed their first child in 2021. Known for maintaining privacy about her personal life, Kajal occasionally shares glimpses of her family life on social media.

She continues to be active in philanthropy and social causes, often using her platform to raise awareness about various issues affecting society.

Recent Projects & Future Ventures

2025 Releases:

• Sikandar (Released) - Opposite Salman Khan as Vaidehi Rangachari
• Kannappa - Guest appearance as Parvathi/Sati alongside Akshay Kumar

Upcoming Projects:

• The India Story (Filming) - Hindi film with Shreyas Talpade
• Indian 3 (Post-production) - Continuation of Kamal Haasan’s franchise
• Ramayana: Part 1 (2026) - As Mandodari opposite Yash in this highly anticipated mythological epic

Trivia & Lesser-Known Facts

• She is the brand ambassador for Celebrity Cricket League
• Her breakthrough in Tamil cinema came through Thuppakki with Vijay, not her debut film Pazhani
• She has also contributed to playback singing, performing in the Kannada film Chakravyuha (2016)
• Despite being born in Mumbai, she has stronger fan following in South India than Bollywood
• Her nickname “Kajju” is widely used by fans and media