Kajal Aggarwal: I need a break from intense roles

Kajal Aggarwal has revealed that playing the titular role in her last outing Sita has taken a toll on her. "Sita was a complicated, demanding and challenging character. In every actor’s life, you need that one character which sets you apart and proves you are an actor. I’m happy that I got to do this character," she begins, adding, "But I got into the mind of the character and it has affected my reactions and behaviour towards people. To control these behavioural changes and mood swings, I meditated for a few days and it helped me overcome this problem."

The actor says after a serious role like Sita she felt compelled to take up a routine role in her upcoming film, Ranarangam. "I can't always play serious, demanding roles. And I can say Sita is the reason why I have chosen to do Ranarangam. I play a doctor in the film and my character appears in the second hour. Even though it's a conventional character without any exceptional weightage, it drives the narration forward. This role has come as a huge relief for me," she says, adding, "There is no regret. I enjoyed working in that film, but it's just that I needed a break from such roles. I am happy that I have reached a stage in my career where I can pick and choose."

Kajal is awaiting the release of Paris Paris, a remake of the 2014 Hindi comedy-drama Queen. Directed by Ramesh Aravind, the film recently ran into censorship issues after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) asked the makers to blur/mute about 25 scenes. Responding to the issue, Kajal says, "Paris Paris is a faithful remake of Queen. It must be noted that the Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada versions were cleared by the censor board, but the Tamil version alone has landed in trouble. The makers have referred the film to Revising Committee and we are waiting to hear from them."

Amidst reports of her walking out of Kamal Haasan-starrer Bharateeyudu 2 (Indian 2), the actor has offered a denial. "I will join the sets in November. I'm playing a powerful character which required me to undergo some physical training to look strong for that part. I am feeling excited to work with legends like Shankar and Kamal Haasan. I am looking forward to the shoot," says Kajal, who is also working on a Telugu-English bilingual titled Call Centre.