Exclusive - Sonali Kulkarni on why she got scolded by Kajol during the shoot of 'The Trial Season 2'

Sonali and Kajol in a still from The Trial Season 2

Seasoned actress Sonali Kulkarni has worked across languages and mediums for over two decades, balancing theater, films, television and now OTT.

With more than a hundred projects behind her, Sonali continues to remain a familiar and versatile face on screen. Her latest outing is in The Trial: Season 2, where she plays the role of powerful politician Narayani Dhole, whose battles are both personal and political.

In an exclusive interview with Moneycontrol, Sonali Kulkarni revealed to us the obvious question as to why she said yes to the series, her first time working with Kajol, the legacy of her cult film Dil Chahta Hai and long-standing respect for Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan.

Talking about why she came on board for The Trial, she said that for any actor, the choice is simple—to accept or reject a project.

“There are only two options in my hand when I am an actor: either to choose a project or not to choose a project. And you want to choose as many projects and as many versatile characters as you can. When I was approached for Trial Season 2, I was excited for the fact that I have seen the original web series, The Good Wife. I really liked it,” she said.

Sonali plays the role of a powerful Narayani Dhole, who has shades of grey and this is what particularly attracted her to it.

“When I read Narayani Dhole's part, it was fascinating because the way they had written the character was so much fun. I love the fact that I will be working with Kajol. "All these things multiplied and there was no other reason but to say yes," she said with a broad smile on her face.

Kajol and Sonali

Working with Kajol for the first time 

Her excitement about sharing screen space with Kajol was evident throughout the conversation.

She admitted to being in awe at first but was reprimanded or rather, in her own words, 'scolded,' by Kajol not to be overwhelmed.

“Amazing. One of the brilliant actors we have in the Indian entertainment industry. She's beautiful. And she's a brilliant, brilliant actor. I got a small scolding from Kajol not to be in awe… But she's so involved, so focused and so intense. It's a rarity to see those eyes, which are piercing with truthful emotions.” Sonali recalled being deeply moved during one of their scenes.

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“I have seen beautiful eyes, that face tearing up and telling me… I felt like going and hugging her. But you have your own fan moments. And I simply love Kajol. "She's a brilliant actor," she added.

Inevitably, the conversation drifted to her earlier work, particularly her role in the cult movie Dil Chahta Hai, where she was seen as young Pooja.

Even now, she remains amazed at how the film has achieved timelessness. Sonali said while they were shooting for Dil Chahta Hai, they didn't know that it would achieve a cult status but she knew this: that their movie was ahead of its time.

Watch the Exclusive Interview of Sonali

“Dil Chahta Hai was one of the films that was ahead of its time. Since we had call sheets, we had actors who were supposed to report on time. It was even time for hair, makeup, and costumes. So, I feel that it is a trendsetter for Indian cinema when it comes to planning the film. But one had no idea that it would become a landmark of Indian cinema today. We were spontaneous, we were innocent and so was everyone,” she recalled.

For her, Dil Chahta Hai was a perfect blend of structure and freedom. “There was 80% of planning and discipline and 20% of spontaneity. Nobody stopped the spontaneity, but to support that, there was an outstanding framework.”

Working with Aamir Khan on Dil Chahta Hai and beyond

The mention of Dil Chahta Hai naturally led to us asking her about working with Mr. Perfectionist, aka superstar Aamir Khan and she says he remains one of her most respected colleagues.

Though she had limited screen time with him in Dil Chahta as she was paired opposite Saif Ali Khan, Sonali said her admiration for Aamir grew manifold through his work off-screen with the Paani Foundation.

“More than Dil Chahta Hai, I have worked with Aamir on Paani Foundation. So, you can only imagine my respect and my fondness for Aamir has multiplied like anything. Because any star, any superstar, can simply donate some money and earn that goodness… but he did come up with Paani Foundation, and they have been seriously working for over a decade now on Maharashtra’s water issue and the farmers’ issue. And it's something that really humbles me. I genuinely am fond of Aamir. I respect him so much.”

Paani Foundation

Talking about the Paani Foundation, it was formed by Aamir Khan's ex wives Reena Dutta and Kiran Rao along with film and television director Satyajit Bhatkal, who is the CEO of the foundation.

The main aim of Paani Foundation is to implement water conservation methods in the summer months in drought-hit areas of Maharashtra. It was founded in 2016.

Her career graph

For an actor who began her career with Girish Karnad’s Cheluvi in 1992, which won a National Award, Sonali has constantly looked for variety.

Sonali has played everything from a girl disguised as a boy in Amol Palekar's The Square Circle (1996) to a failed choreographer in Oops Ab kya?, a hardcore killer in "Manvat Murders," and now a politician in The Trial.

“So far I'm not bored, neither is my audience, nor are critics. So, I see myself having a long way ahead. Thank you for getting entertained and giving me so much encouragement that I am still looking forward to my upcoming decades of working in the industry,” she said.

Aging gracefully, Sonali said she believes cinema is finally allowing women onscreen to do what they should.

“Because however much I want to play, I will not be able to be Pooja from Dil Chahta Hai (2001). I want to graciously be my age. And I'm very happy today, thanks to web shows and evolving Indian cinema. There is no dearth of main leads for a woman actor, for a female actor. It feels so powerful. There is no apology for the face that I am. There is no force for being thinner or younger. And that is thanks to the evolving Indian entertainment industry and the audience," she said.

Unfazed by AI

Even as new technology enters the creative space, Sonali Kulkarni says she is not worried about the invasion of AI and remains unfazed.

She remarked, “I don't fear AI because I feel that AI is not going to offer the touch, the warmth. It will definitely offer the perfection and maybe excellence, but there is something that is underrated, which is called feeling the warmth. Yes. That is somewhere where I feel we will need good people.”

At 54, Sonali Kulkarni shows no signs of slowing down. Whether it is her face-offs with Kajol in The Trial Season 2, her reflections on Dil Chahta Hai, or her admiration for Aamir Khan, she continues to remind audiences why she remains one of the most loved actors of her generation.