How come actresses like Alia and Kajol are successful?

The audience has always been enamored more by beauty and glamour in actresses than just acting skills. They patronize films where the heroines look a certain way and acting skills have always come secondary.

Kajol and Alia broke this rule. They are neither of them beautiful by conventional standards and don't fit into the mould of say, a Madhuri, a Sridevi or a Katrina/Deepika.

Were they such good actresses that their acting skills took precedence over looks and attracted the audiences to them? Or were there other factors responsible for their success?

At least Kajol looked like a woman or a grown up and didn’t look like a ten yr old

And she can carry a saree well... And act, can show expressions subtle and otherwise... Didn’t have a great nose either but atleast it was not perpetually flared

(But that squeaky voice -  well, audience didn’t mind it that much then...)

Originally posted by: BettyA1

At least Kajol looked like a woman or a grown up and didn’t look like a ten yr old

And she can carry a saree well... And act, can show expressions subtle and otherwise... Didn’t have a great nose either but atleast it was not perpetually flared

(But that squeaky voice -  well, audience didn’t mind it that much then...)

🤣

You know, what I feel about Kajol is she benefitted most from the iconic SRK-Kajol romantic pairing. Also, she's better than Alia for sure, but I feel something is lacking in her. I've always found her extremely overrated. Just liked her in 2 movies - Dushman and Fanaa.

Originally posted by: mintyblue

🤣

You know, what I feel about Kajol is she benefitted most from the iconic SRK-Kajol romantic pairing. Also, she's better than Alia for sure, but I feel something is lacking in her. I've always found her extremely overrated. Just liked her in 2 movies - Dushman and Fanaa.

Bold - That’s true...

When she arrived on the scene, she was considered different both in looks (dusky, no chiseled features yet good screen presence) and acting style (natural)  The adjective most often used to describe her acting style was ‘spontaneous’

Maybe she stood out among the over made up, over acting crowd then... But now her acting looks like it’s nothing special maybe...

I don't know why or how Alia is successful. There's really no conventional reason for it.

Kajol was a breath of fresh air. Her untamed (for lack of a better word) hair and eyebrows, her skin tone and everything that was unconventional about her were the very reasons that made her successful. Her performances were earnest and her chemistry with Shahrukh catapulted her into the spotlight.

Their not the ugliest girls. Even if Kajol has a unibrow. So not surprised at the success 

Kjo 🥳

Promoted them atleast Alia a lot

Kajol is better tbh

Kajol and Alia shouldn't be compared imo. Kajol had a little something that made her shine and it wasn't solely due to her jodi with Shahrukh who has starred in general movies with different actresses BUT the chemistry he exudes with Kajol is UNIQUE. 

I don't think thousands of perdons are being dumb or delusional when they ship them. It's just that they genuinely have something that picks one's interest.

Kajol hasn't only shone alongside SRK but also 8n other movies in which people found her relatable and beautiful. She's one of the few actresses who had the luxury not to chase after the next success or to turn down sure shot hits that landed on her laps because she wanted to do her own thing. 

For someone who relied on her jodi and chemistry with SRK, why would she have turned down KANK for Fanaa when their public was awaiting the pair and that she had an opportunity to join friends on the sets ? 

Alia and Kajol aren't comparable as Alia lacks something. I don't find her attractive and it makes me uneasy when she's portrayed as a woman (when she isn't even a child anymore), her acting is subpar and her public persona gives off fake and forced vibes.

She's also chasing after every successful and acclaimed directors to gives the impression she's sought after when it's all orchestrated ans she's forced down people throat.

Even worst ! She's doing her utmost to be clubbeb in with the likes of Katrina and Deepika to give the impression that she's a sexy siren and a superstar, when she's anything but... KANK -which should have been an easy hit- failure showed how much of a star she isn't.

Finally, while Kajol managed to thrive while other actresses also bagged interesting roles and movies, Alia benefitted from Parineeti's break (Parineeti was at one point considered a better actress), and Shraddha's being shunned by big banners (she has yet to work with a huge banner like YRK and Dharma).

Originally posted by: Maraka_Musso89

and Shraddha's being shunned by big banners (she has yet to work with a huge banner like YRK and Dharma).

She did Ok Jaanu no ? Yeah that film sucked but still it counts 😆

Kajol was a good actress (especially in comedies), and in terms of looks, though she wasn't conventionally beautiful, she was striking and pretty in her own way... She also had a very good screen presence and a star quality about her, so it's not surprising she did well 

Alia has been an average actress in almost everything I've seen her in (barring Udta Punjab where she was good, and SOTY and Kalank where she was plain bad)... Like Kajol Alia isn't conventionally beautiful, but unlike Kajol she is super bland, has no screen presence or star quality to speak of, and probably wouldn't stand out in a crowd even if she was the only one in it 😆 

The only thing the two really have in common is being nepo kids, and having the resultant contacts that bagged them plenty of roles in films that were bound to be successful... 

Though both their success does prove that heroines don't always have to be conventionally beautiful (and in Alia's case that they don't have to be particularly talented or interesting either), and basically that content has always been and still is the most important thing.