Kajol: “What guarantees you’ll marry the right person at the right time? … a renewal option would make sense.”
Ajay Devgn: “The word ‘love’… has been used so unnecessarily that it has lost its meaning.”
R. Madhavan (in the same interview): “Even the simplest expressions of affection have become routine.”
Veteran actors Kajol and Ajay Devgn have triggered a fresh debate on the institution of marriage and the evolving idea of love in India. Both made candid remarks in recent appearances on reality and talk shows. Kajol spoke on her show Two Much with Twinkle, while Kajol and Ajay Devgn also appeared on BookMyShow’s YouTube channel with R. Madhavan for De De Pyaar De 2, where they reflected on changing relationship dynamics.
On the latest episode of Two Much With Kajol and Twinkle, during a “This or That” segment, the question was posed: “Should marriage have an expiry date and a renewal option?” When Twinkle, along with guest stars Vicky Kaushal and Kriti Sanon, chose to stand against the idea (in the “red” zone), Kajol alone moved to the “green” zone in favour. She said:
“I definitely think so. What guarantees that you’ll marry the right person at the right time? A renewal option would make sense and if there’s an expiry date, no one has to suffer for too long.”
In a separate interview on BookMyShow’s YouTube channel promoting De De Pyaar De 2, Ajay Devgn spoke about how the meaning of “love” has shifted across generations. Sitting alongside R. Madhavan, he said:
“From what I see, it has become more casual than what it was. The word ‘love’ has been used so unnecessarily that it has lost its meaning. In our generation, you reached a point where you said ‘I love you.’ … Now people don’t understand the depth of that word so it has been overused.”
Madhavan agreed, adding “Now every message has a heart emoji with it. All messages just end with ‘love’.” Devgn further reflected “The problem is that you love your pets because you know that they won’t ask for anything in return.”
Kajol and Ajay Devgn have been married since 24 February 1999 and have two children. The talk show Two Much… is streamed on Amazon Prime Video and often features open discussions on relationships, life and modern perspectives.
The commentary by both actors comes at a time when relationship norms in India are evolving and discussions around commitment, marriage longevity, and emotional fulfilment have become more open.
Kajol’s suggestion that marriages could have an expiry date and renewal option challenges the traditional idea of lifelong commitment. Her remark — “if there’s an expiry date, no one has to suffer for too long” — raises questions about whether fixed-term commitments could reduce prolonged unhappiness.
Ajay Devgn’s observation that “love” is overused and diluted points to concerns about emotional sincerity and depth in modern relationships. His comparison to the unconditional love of pets highlights the changing expectations people have in relationships.
Taken together, Kajol questions the permanence of marriage, while Ajay Devgn questions the depth of love itself. Their comments reflect broader conversations in Indian society about how relationships are formed, understood, and sustained today. While neither suggests any issue in their own marriage, their perspectives open up a wider dialogue on commitment and emotional expression.
As this debate grows, it is worth noting that both actors have long, successful careers and a long-standing marriage. Their voices add significance to ongoing conversations about how traditional relationship frameworks are being reconsidered in contemporary India. [Rh/MY/VP]