kajal getting what she deserves

She may have taken baby steps in B-town with Kyun Ho Gaya Na (KHGN) few years ago, but Kajal Aggarwal maintains that her upcoming film opposite Ajay Devgn will be her Bollywood debut.

She explains, "I was very young then and was barely there for two or three shots in KHGN. Besides, I had no intention of taking up acting as a career then. This movie will mark my Bollywood debut. It was great working with Ajay and I learnt a lot from him. He was pulling a fast one every now and then, and it was a complete riot on the sets."

Though her career didn't start with a bang, it seems to be on an upswing now as Kajal is teaming up with some of the big names in the south film industry — Suriya in Maatran, Mahesh Babu in The Businessman and Naga Chaitanya in Dhada. "I play an interpreter in Maatran and my character in the film is very interesting. I had earlier worked with Karthi in Naan Mahan Alla and now I'm excited about working with his brother, Suriya. In Telugu, I just wrapped up the shoot for Dhada and am about to begin work for The Businessman. I don't want to analyze my career too much. It's sailing smoothly and I'm happy about it," she says.

Her B-town debut has raised another question in the industry. Will Kajal revise her salary? "I'm getting what I deserve. My father and manager take care of financial matters. I have left it to them," says the actor.

Now that her sister Nisha has also made her entry into tinsel town, is Kajal giving her tips to survive in the industry? "No! I want her to be independent and learn from her mistakes, just the way I did. Also, a lot of people have asked if there will be competition at home. How can I compete with someone whom I consider my baby?" asks Kajal.

The actor seems to be gradually obtaining the label of controversy's child. Her recent remark, 'I'm not a south Indian actor' created a stir in the industry and some filmmakers even went to extent of trying to ban her. A peeved Kajal says, "I never said that I was not a south Indian actor. During a recent interview, a reporter asked me if I would relocate to Mumbai, as I had begun my work in B-town, to which I replied. 'I am based in Mumbai and I keep travelling south for my films. Since, I am a Mumbai girl and live here, why would I relocate?' I was completely misquoted."

She adds, "I began my career in the south and I'm proud to be a south Indian actor. There is absolutely no question of disowning the south Indian actor tag."