| Name | Kareena Kapoor |
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| Alt | A young Indian woman. Her face is brightly lit. She has dark brown hair falling upto her chest and is clad in a red sari. Her eyes are bluish in color and she appears to be smiling while looking at the camera. |
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| Caption | Kapoor at the Global Indian TV Honours in Mumbai, February 2008 |
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| Birth date | September 21, 1980 |
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| Birth place | Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
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| Occupation | Film actress |
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| Years active | 2000–present |
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| Partner | Saif Ali Khan (2007–present) |
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| Signature | KareenaKapoor sig.jpg |
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| Signature alt | "Kareena Kapoor" |
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| Website | |
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Kareena Kapoor (, pronounced ; born on September 21, 1980), and she was later noted for her performances in the critically acclaimed Dev (2004) and Omkara (2006).
In 2007, Kapoor received her first
Filmfare Award for Best Actress for her performance in
Jab We Met, a
romantic comedy directed by
Imtiaz Ali. She went on to play the lead female role in the thriller
Kurbaan (2009), for which she earned critical acclaim, and the drama
3 Idiots (2009), which became the
highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. In addition to movie acting, Kapoor is a regular stage performer and has launched her own clothing line in association with being the brand ambassador for the retail chain
Globus. Her off-screen life, including her relationship with actor
Saif Ali Khan, is the subject of wide media coverage in India. According to Kapoor, the name "Kareena" was derived from the book
Anna Karenina, which her mother read while she was pregnant with her. she is of
Punjabi Khatri descent from her father's side, Following her parents' reconciliation in October 2007, Kapoor explained that they "were never officially divorced ... [but] ... liv[ed] separately." Asked about the relationship she shared with her father, Kapoor remarked, "My father is ... an important factor in my life. [Al]though we did not see him often in our initial years, we are a family now."
Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai before progressing to Welham Girls Boarding School in Dehradun. She later recalled, "I learnt so much from being at Welham", and described her experience there as "one of the finest parts of my life". According to Kapoor, she was a good student and received first-class honours in all subjects except mathematics. Upon graduating from the boarding school, she studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College in Vile Parle, Mumbai, but later confessed that she only studied there because she was close to her family. Kapoor then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard University in the United States. She later developed an interest in law and enrolled at the Government Law College in Churchgate; during this period she became immersed in law books and developed a long-lasting passion for reading. However, after completing one year at Churchgate, Kapoor realized that she was not inclined towards academics and returned to her initial plan to become an actress. Several days into the filming, however, she abandoned the project and later explained that, "it was probably destined that I was not to be in the film. After all, it was a launch for his son. The whole focus was on the boy. Now I am glad I did not do the movie."
She made her debut later that year in J.P. Dutta's war drama Refugee, alongside Abhishek Bachchan. Set during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, the film centers on a man known simply as "Refugee", who illegally transports civilians back and forth across the Indo-Pakistani border. Kapoor portrayed Naaz, a Bangladeshi girl who falls in love with Refugee while illegally migrating to Pakistan with her family. Her performance was acclaimed by critics; Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote that Kapoor "has a magnetic personality, which will make the viewer fall in love with her instantly. What surprises you is the ease with which she emotes the most difficult of scenes [...] There is no denying the fact that she is a natural performer who is very camera friendly." Refugee became the fifth highest-grossing film in India in 2000,
In 2001, Kapoor appeared opposite Tusshar Kapoor in the romantic drama Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, which became one of the highest earners of the year. Kapoor then appeared in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Ajnabee. The feature was adapted from the 1992 American thriller film Consenting Adults,
Later in the year, she starred in Santosh Sivan's period epic Asoka, a partly fictionalized account of the life of Ashoka the Great. It was widely screened across the United Kingdom and North America, and was also selected for screening at the Venice Film Festival and the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival. While the film received generally positive reviews, Kapoor's performance received a mixed reaction from critics. Rediff.com concluded that "while a large portion of the first half is focused on the emerging romance between the runaway prince and herself and to their credit they do manage to whip up some on-screen chemistry, I am still unsure as to her acting abilities."
During 2002 and 2003, Kapoor experienced a setback in her career. She was in six films—Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, , Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and the four-hour war epic LOC Kargil—all of which proved critically and commercially unsuccessful in India. They expressed concern that she was becoming typecast, but these negative reviews were fundamental in motivating her to improve her integrity as an actress in subsequent years by accepting more demanding roles. Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor portrayed the role of a prostitute in Chameli. The film relates the story of a young prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker (played by Rahul Bose), and follows the development of their relationship as they share their devastating life experiences. When Kapoor was initially offered the role in 2002, she refused it, stating that she was reluctant to play a bold role at the beginning of her career. However, when the director again approached her a year later, she agreed to do the film and viewed it as an opportunity to show the range of her acting skills. To prepare for the role, she visited several of Mumbai's red-light district areas at night to study the dress and mannerisms of sex workers. Chameli received predominantly positive reviews upon release and Kapoor's performance was generally well-received by critics, with the Indiatimes praising her "intuitive brilliance" and stating that she had exceeded all expectations. and the film marked a significant turning point in her career as an actress.
She next co-starred in Mani Ratnam's bilingual project Yuva alongside Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji and Esha Deol. The film, consisting of three chapters, tells the story of six individuals linked by a car accident. Kapoor is featured in the third chapter as Oberoi's love interest, Mira, a young witty woman. She was mostly criticised for taking a role of minimal importance, though her performance was generally well-received. It earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, as well as nominations for Best Actress at various award ceremonies. Taran Adarsh commented, "Kareena Kapoor is first-rate. Sporting a deglamorized look, the actress takes a giant leap with this film. Her scene with Amitabh Bachchan (when the latter asks for witnesses to come forward) is an example of superb acting."
In 2005, she starred as the protagonist in Bewafaa, a drama directed by Dharmesh Darshan. The feature received mostly negative reviews and Kapoor's portrayal of Anjali Sahai, an unfaithful woman, was not well-received. Nikhat Kazmi of Indiatimes believed that in an effort to become a serious actress, Kapoor was embodying a maturer, more jaded character ahead of her years in Bewafaa which appeared peculiar for a young woman of her age. her performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by Filmfare. In an interview with The Times of India, Kapoor commented, "In my initial years in the industry, I pushed myself to do a lot of work because I was greedy. I did some films – which I now regret – purely for the money. Today, I want to do selective films." Rajeev Masand from CNN-IBN noted, "Uninhibited and spontaneous, Kareena Kapoor is the soul of this picture, its biggest strength, as she brings alive her character with not just those smart lines, but with the kind of candor actors seldom invest in their work." During this period, speculation began to surface that she was dating actor Saif Ali Khan, her co-star in the film Tashan (2008). On October 18, 2007, during Manish Malhotra's grand finale show at the Lakme Fashion Week, Khan confirmed their relationship to the media.
for her role as Geet Dhillon in Jab We Met (2007), opposite Shahid Kapoor.]]
In 2008, she co-starred alongside Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor in Vijay Krishna Acharya's action-thriller Tashan. Though a poll conducted by Bollywood Hungama named it as the most anticipated release of the year,
The following year, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai opposite Akshay Kumar in Sabbir Khan's comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Set in Los Angeles, California, it became the first Indian film in history to be shot within Universal Studios Hollywood, California, and featured several cameo appearances from Hollywood actors. The Times of India described her performance as "a complete let-down" and further stated that "despite her haute-coutured look, her micro minis, her pencil heels, she comes across as a completely unconvincing supermodel cum surgeon." Upon release, the film was critically embraced and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. According to Subhash K Jha, "Kurbaan belongs to Kareena Kapoor. In her most consistently-pitched performance to date she pulls out all stops to play a betrayed wife with splendid sensitivity. Kareena accommodates her radiant beauty into an utterly credible character and performance. At her best, Kareena is incomparable. She proves it in Kurbaan." It also did well internationally and earned over , the second biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market.
In 2010, she appeared in the romantic comedy
Milenge Milenge, a production that had been delayed since 2005. She next featured alongside
Kajol and
Arjun Rampal in
We Are Family, the Hindi adaptation of the
1998 Hollywood release
Stepmom. Reaction to the film was mostly lukewarm, but Kapoor's performance drew positive reviews; critic
Taran Adarsh remarked that "[...] casting Kareena as the stepmom is just right, since she is the only actor who can stand up to Kajol in high-voltage scenes and that is because Kareena is a powerful actor herself."
Off-screen work
Stage performances
Kapoor has been part of several stage shows and world tours since 2002. Her first world tour, the Heartthrobs: Live in Concert, was successfully performed across the United States and Canada alongside Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, and Aftab Shivdasani. Since her start, it was reported that the brand had experienced a 75 percent increase in sales. Kapoor further stated that she would also be involved in the planning and designing process of the clothing as well. Her clothing line debuted several months later in stores across India and was well-received by the public. As a child, Kapoor regularly attended award ceremonies and events with her mother Babita and sister Karisma Kapoor, and would also accompany her sister on set during filming. In an interview with Filmfare, she said that growing up in a film family helped her develop a sense of professionalism towards her work and remain grounded as a human being. She also created headlines with her much publicized breakup with Shahid Kapoor and her subsequent relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan. Often referred to as India's "Brangelina" ("Saifeena") by the press, In recent years, in response to media speculation, Kapoor has developed a nonchalant relationship with the media and has gained a reputation for discussing her professional or private life with the press with no reservations.
As one of her most distinctive physical features, Kapoor's lips have been cited by the Indian media as her trademark. others have described her as arrogant and vain, an image she gained following the portrayal of her character "Poo" in the film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001). Prior to the release of her 2004 film, Chameli, in which she played the role of a sex worker, Kapoor stated that, "there is a certain image that people identify you with. It always follows you whichever role you play. I am trying to transgress this image and become more screen-friendly than image-friendly." Kapoor was asked about her off-screen image. During an interview, she explained that as a child she was always taught to be self-confident, a trait she says was often misunderstood by the media for her arrogance. "Bollywood's Best Dressed Women" and Saif Ali Khan
|-
| 2000
| Refugee
| Nazneen "Naaz" Ahmed
| Winner, Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut
|-
|rowspan="5"|2001
| Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai
| Pooja Saxena
|
|-
| Yaadein
| Isha Singh Puri
|
|-
| Ajnabee
| Priya Malhotra
|
|-
| Asoka
| Kaurwaki
| Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress
|-
| Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...
| Pooja "Poo" Sharma
| Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
|-
|rowspan="2"|2002
| Mujhse Dosti Karoge!
| Tina Kapoor
|
|-
| Jeena Sirf Merre Liye
| Pooja/Pinky
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|2003
|
| Tina
|
|-
| Khushi
| Khushi Singh (Lali)
|
|-
| Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon
| Sanjana
|
|-
| LOC Kargil
| Simran
|
|-
|rowspan="6"|2004
| Chameli
| Chameli
| Winner, Filmfare Special Award
|-
| Yuva
| Mira
|
|-
| Dev
| Aaliya
| Winner, Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance
|-
| Fida
| Neha Mehra
|
|-
| Aitraaz
| Priya Saxena/Malhotra
|
|-
| Hulchul
| Anjali
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|2005
| Bewafaa
| Anjali Sahai
|
|-
| Kyon Ki
| Dr. Tanvi Khurana
|
|-
|
| Anjali
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|2006
| 36 China Town
| Priya
|
|-
| Chup Chup Ke
| Shruti
|
|-
| Omkara
| Dolly Mishra
| Winner, Filmfare Critics Award for Best PerformanceNominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress
|-
| Don - The Chase Begins Again
| Kamini
| Cameo
|-
|rowspan="2"|2007
| Kya Love Story Hai
| Herself
| Special appearance in song It's Rocking
|-
| Jab We Met
| Geet Dhillon
| Winner, Filmfare Award for Best Actress
|-
|rowspan="4"|2008
| Halla Bol
| Herself
| Special appearance
|-
| Tashan
| Pooja Singh
|
|-
| Roadside Romeo
| Laila
| Voice
|-
| Golmaal Returns
| Ekta
|
|-
|rowspan="6"|2009
| Luck by Chance
| Herself
| Special appearance
|-
| Billu
| Herself
| Special appearance in song Marjaani
|-
| Kambakkht Ishq
| Simrita Rai
|
|-
| Main Aurr Mrs Khanna
| Raina Khanna
|
|-
| Kurbaan
| Avantika Ahuja/Khan
| Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress
|-
| 3 Idiots
| Pia Sahastrabudhhe
| Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress
|-
|rowspan="3"|2010
| Milenge Milenge
| Priya Malhotra
|
|-
| We Are Family
| Shreya Arora
| Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress
|-
| Golmaal 3
| Daboo
| Nominated – Filmfare Award for Best Actress
|-
|rowspan="3"|2011
| Ra.One
|
| Filming
|-
| Agent Vinod
| Iram
| Filming
|-
| Short Term Shaadi
|
| Filming
|}
References
Further reading
, ,
External links
Category:1980 births
Category:Indian film actors
Category:Hindi film actors
Category:People from Mumbai
Category:Punjabi people
Category:Indian vegetarians
Category:Filmfare Awards winners
Category:Living people
