Kareena Kapoor Khan, age 32 (born September 21,1980) is one of the most popular Bollywood actresses. She has received six Filmfare Awards and has been an exponent in playing different types of characters with ease - be they romantic dramas, period films, comedies or thrillers. She is the daughter of actors Babita and Randhir Kapoor and is the youngest sister of Karisma Kapoor, one of the top notch actresses in the 90s.
Kareena Kapoor’s first film was Kaho Na Pyaar Hai opposite Hrithik Roshan, but she walked out of the film, paving the road for Amisha Patel to do the film. The 20 year old actress debuted in the year 2000 with the war drama Refugee. Though the movie was a flop, her porcelain skin, her beautiful features and her spunky acting was recognized. Kareena’s performance was much appreciated in her second film ‘Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai’ opposite debutant Tusshar Kapoor. She went on to do the role of ‘Kaurwaki’ Ashoka’s love interest in the same year opposite Shah Rukh Khan in the movie Ashoka. In 2001, Kareena Kapoor splashed the screen with oomph and sex appeal in the movie Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, a superhit family drama directed by Karan Johar.
In the years that followed, Kareena’s movies flopped miserably. Save for the critically acclaimed Chameli (2004) where she played the role of a street-walker, most of her movies did not make the cut. Many movies Jeena Sif Mere Liye, Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, Talaash, Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon fell like nine pins between 2003 and 2006.
Finally in the year 2006 the talented actress showed her mettle in the movie Omkara(2006) which did good business. Kareena Kapoor truly arrived as the box office game changer with the block-buster Jab We Met (2007). She went on to win Filmfare Award for Best Actress with this film. Incidentally, just before the film’s release, Kareena Kapoor broke up with her long-standing boyfriend Shahid Kapoor.
One saw a transformation in the actress as Kareena Kapoor acquired a size zero pencil slim figure. This she did, to get in shape for the role in Aditya Chopra’s produced action thriller Tashan. Kareena Kapoor’s bikini act in Tashan was noticed but the movie still proved to be a commercial and critical failure.
Kareena Kapoor appeared in Rohit Shetty’s superhit comedy Golmaal Returns, a sequel to his 2006 blockbuster. In 2009, the still slim actress was seen in two films, Kambakkht Ishq opposite Akshay Kumar and a drama-thriller Kurbaan opposite now beau Saif Ali Khan. Both the movies flopped but that did not stop Kareena Kapoor from becoming the number one actress when 3 Idiots released on December 25, 2009 and went on to become the biggest Bollywood success ever, earning more than Rs. 200 crores in box office.
In 2010, Kareena Kapoor teamed with Rohit Shetty again for Golmaal Returns, a sequel to the 2008 block-buster, which went on to do business in excess of more than Rs. 100 crore. The actress went on from strength to strength as Bodyguard in the year 2011, cemented her position as the go-to-girl for blockbusters and Salman Khan became the most sought after actor in Bollywood.
Kareena went on to star in Shah Rukh Khan’s ambitious project Ra. One, a super-hero movie with budget close to Rs. 200 crore. The movie was a profitable proposition and the actress earned her fourth biggest success in 3 years. In January 2012, Kareena starred opposite a younger actor Imran Khan in the romantic comedy Ek Main aur Ekk Tu which did decent business. The actress was noticed for the effortless zeal in which she won the hearts of the audience.
Kareena Kapoor got an author-backed role in Madhur Bhandarkar’s ambitious project Heroine, which had gone to Aishwarya Rai before her. In fact, Kareena was the original choice and after Ash had to leave the project due to pregnancy, she was roped in again. Kareena played the role of Mahi Arora, a fading star suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia to the hilt and many went on to say that Heroine was Kareena Kapoor’s best performance to date. However, the movie flopped in spite of all the hype.
At the end of 2012, Kareena Kapoor starred alongside Aamir Khan and Rani Mukherje in an acclaimed role of a dead prostitute for Talaash: The Answer Lies Within. The movie was a financial success earning $31.67 million(Rs. 174 crore).
Kareena Kapoor is now shooting for two films – Satyagraha, a movie directed by Prakash Jha and a romantic drama ‘Gori Tere Pyaar Mein’.
Personal life
The actress says that her name ‘Kareena’ originates from the book Anna Karenina, which her mother Babita read when she was pregnant with her. Kareena is Punjabi from her father’s side and Sindhi from her mother’s side. She is the grand-daughter or Bollywood’s greatest showman Raj Kapoor and niece of Rishi Kapoor. Kareena is cousin to Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor.
Kareena’s father disapproved of his children going into the movies. This led to a conflict between Randhir and Babita and they separated. Kareena and her sister were raised by her mother, till the elder sister debuted in the big hit Prem Kaidi (1991). Her parents finally reconciled in 2007.
Kareena Kapoor studied in Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, after which she went to a boarding school, Welham Girls’. Having graduated from this school, she went on to study commerce at Mithibhai Collge in Vile Parle, for two years. She then went on to do a three month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard University in the US. Kareena, who always had an interest to do films, came back to Mumbai and enrolled at the Government Law College in Churchgate. Acting became her calling and she enrolled in Kishore Namit Kapoor’s acting institute in Mumbai.
Kareena Kapoor has been linked to three men in her life – Hrithik Roshan in the initial stages of her career, Shahid Kapoor whom she dated from 2003 to 2007 before she fell madly in love with Saif Ali Khan (from 2007). Saif and Kareena finally married in 2012.
Kareena Kapoor's Awards
Filmfare Awards –
Refugee- Best female debutant
Chameli – Special Award
Dev – Best Actress Critics Award
Omkara – Best Actress Critics Award
Jab We Met- Best Actress Award
We are Family – Best Supporting Actress Award
Screen Awards
Omkara, Jab Wet Met and 3 Idiots – Best Actress Award
IIFA Award
Refugee – Best Female Debutante
3 Idiots – Best Actress Award
Zee Cine Awards
Refugee – Face of the Year
Jab We Met – Best Actress Award
Kareena Kapoor trivia
1. She is best friends with Amrita Arora.
2. Kareena Kapoor has rejected several movies that went on to make box office history. Some of the hit movies she rejected were Kaho Na Pyaar Hai, Page 3 and Kal Ho Na Ho
3. Kareena is a voracious eater. She is back to her voluptuous image as she says Saif likes her ample figure. However, even though she gorges on pasta,parathas, cheese dishes and bananas, she ensures that she does regular Yoga which has given her the envious figure.
4. She does not like to read but is proud of her husband Saif Ali Khan, whom she says is well read and can talk on any topic under the sun.
5. She likes to cook and has an interest in horse-riding
6. Kareena was known to be high-handed and arrogant according to statements made by Bipasha Basu and Mallika Sherawat. Bipasha said that Kareena would call her ‘kaali billi’ while Mallika said that in the set of Jeena Sif Mere Liye, she would not interact with her. But years down the line, Kareena seems to have mellowed down and socializes with many.
7. Once a non-vegetarian, Kareena says that the credit for her turning vegetarian goes to Saif Ali Khan, who showed her blood being spilled while cutting meat, which turned her off. Though she is still off meat, she has now gone back to eating fish.
Kareena Kapoor quotes
I want a man I can keep for myself. I wouldn't ever share my man with anyone else.
Men are gutless. Why can't they own up to the women they love?
I wouldn't be able to turn a blind eye to my husband activities like other star wives. I will be screaming down this throat, demanding an account of every minute of his. So you see an actor won't be good for my peace of mind.
If I found out that my man is unfaithful, there'd be no tears, no shor-sharaba, I'd just slaughter him.
The most shocking part of the articles linking me with Hrithik Roshan was the insinuation that I was willing to give up my career to run after him. Please! Not for a man, never.
I don't believe in some heroines who say that they are so busy that they have no time for a relationship. Look at me, I am so busy and still have a boyfriend.
Size does matter
'I am hiding behind the Khans.'I have to call out, 'Hey, I am there too!' And all I am left with is a Chammak challo.'
'Let's not get into what I get and what Salman demands. There is a difference of several zeroes in the paycheque,'
"Sanjay Bhansali is a confused director. He is a person who does not stand by his word. He doesn't have any morals and principles in life."
Listen, I have no problems with Amisha Patel. In fact, I even called her up after Gadar. I thought she was good and I told her so. Even at one of the award function I went up to her and said hello. If that's not graciousness then what is? What more can I do to make peace? On the contrary, her mother has been bitching about me to all and sundry. She's been going around saying that who does Kareena Kapoor think she is. She has given only flops. She'll never make it. Fine. So what happened to Amisha Patel's Zindagi Ka Safar? If Amisha's so confident of her talent then why is she screaming about her hits? Okay so I have given only flops. But why am I still being paid more than her? It's only talent that matters here. Raj Kapoor sold off his last shirt while making Mera Naam Joker. But he's considered the greatest showman even today. I have the talent. I'm confident. And I know I'll be remembered always. I don't want Amisha Patel's history hits. I don't want to be mediocre in hit films. I'd rather be brilliant in flop movies."
Kareena Kapoor - brand endorsements
She is the queen of band endorsements having made more than Rs. 50 crore in more than 22 brands. Some of the top brand she has endorsed include Head & Shoulders, Sony Vaio, Gitanjali Jewelers, Airtel, Anne French, Vivel, Metro Shoes, Monarch Universal
Public Image
Kareena Kapoor was voted as one of the most popular icons in 2009 according to DNA (Daily News and Analysis) poll. She was amongst Verve’s ‘most powerful women’ from 2008 to 2010. In 2010, People Magazine voted Kareena Kapoor as the most beautiful woman in India while Eastern Eye and Maxim edified her as "Asia's Sexiest Woman" and "India's Hottest Woman" in 2011 and 2012 respectively. In 2013, Forbes called Kareena Kapoor as the seventh richest celebrity among Indians in Forbes’ Celebrity 100 a list based on income of India’s biggest entertainers.
Item girl
Being an item girl is a decider of an actress' popularity. Kareena Kapoor created a splash with the item song 'Halkat Jawani' in Heroine. She went on to do another famous item song 'Fevicol' for Dabangg 2. Together with Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor is known to be a hot item girl, though she is not as talented as a dancer as Katrina.
