Kareena Kapoor

Who is Kareena Kapoor

2007-11-24T05:14:00.001-08:00

Kareena Kapoor (born September 21, 1980) nicknamed "Bebo" is an award-winning prominent Indian actress who appears in Bollywood movies.

Making her acting debut with J.P. Dutta's Refugee (2000), for which she won a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award, Kapoor had her first commercial success with her second release, Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai (2001). Her performance as a cosmetic beauty in Karan Johar's melodramatic Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, which also released that year, was praised and the film turned out to be her biggest commercial success to date. Following this, Kapoor went on to star in several films which were unsuccessful at the box office and encountered several negative reviews and criticisms for becoming typecast. Trying to reinvent her image, Kapoor took on more serious characters and diverse roles, and was soon recognized for her versatility as an actress.

Her portrayal of a sex-worker in Sudhir Mishra's Chameli (2004) proved to be the turning point in her career and won her the Filmfare Special Performance Award. Following this, she was recognized for her performances in critically acclaimed films like Dev (2004) and Omkara (2006), which earned her two Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. Despite not having that many hits to her credit, Kapoor has established herself as one of the leading actresses of Bollywood.

Early life and Family of Kareena Kapoor

2007-11-24T05:12:00.000-08:00

Hailing from the renowned Kapoor film family of Punjabi origin, Kapoor was born on September 21, 1980 in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, as the second child of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita (née Shivdasani). According to Kapoor, her first name was derived from the book, Anna Karenina.

She is the grand-daughter of the legendary actor and film-maker Raj Kapoor and the great grand-daughter of Prithviraj Kapoor. Bebo, as she is fondly called, is also the sister of popular actress, Karisma Kapoor and the niece of well-known actor, Rishi Kapoor. Other living relatives include maternal aunt Sadhana, and cousins Ranbir Kapoor and Nikhil Nanda.

Due to family tradition, her father wanted her to get married early and settle down, thus avoiding acting, which was considered a taboo for Kapoor women. This led to irreconcilable differences between her parents and they decided to separate, resulting in her mother taking her along with her sister.

Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai as a child, and then went to Welham Girls Boarding School in Dehradun. After studying commerce at Mithibai College, Vile Parle for two years, she went to Harvard for summer school and took a course in microcomputers and information technology for three months. Set on pursuing an acting career, she took an admission in Government Law College at Churchgate to become a lawyer. After completing one year there, she returned to her initial plan of joining the film industry and began training to become an actress under Kishor Namit Kapoor, the founder of Kapoor Acting Lab.

Career of Kareena Kapoor

2007-11-24T05:06:00.000-08:00

Kapoor was initially approached to make her debut in Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) opposite Hrithik Roshan. However, after several days into the filming, she abandoned the project. She later explained, "It was probably destined that I was not to be in the film. After all, it was a launch for his son (Rakesh Roshan). The whole focus was on the boy. Now I am glad I did not do the movie."

Her career commenced with J.P. Dutta's moderately successful Refugee (2000) opposite Abhishek Bachchan. Set during the India-Pakistan conflicts, the film centers on a young man, Refugee, who carries out the illegal activity of taking civilians to Pakistan and forth. Kapoor played the role of Naaz, a Bangladeshi girl who falls in love with him while migrating to Pakistan; her performance won her critical acclaim. Taran Adarsh from indiaFM wrote, "Kareena Kapoor has a magnetic personality, which will make the viewer fall in love with her instantly. On a scale of 10, Kareena's performance deserves 9 marks, dialogue delivery 8 and overall personality 10. What surprises you is the ease with which she emotes the most difficult of scenes, that too against experienced performers. There's no denying the fact that she is a natural performer who is very camera friendly." Earning Kapoor her first Filmfare Award in the Best Female Debut category, the film eventually went on to became the fifth highest grossing film of the year.

Kapoor started her year successfully in 2001, as her first film, Satish Kaushik's Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai opposite Tusshar Kapoor surfaced as one of the biggest hits of the year. Though her subsequent films Yaadein and Asoka did poorly at the box office, her performance of a princess in the latter was well received, earning her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare. Later that year, she starred in Abbas Mustan's thriller Ajnabee. Although the film tackled an audacious theme of couple swapping, which critics thought the Indian audience would find hard to absorb and identify with, the film fared reasonably well and became one of the highest grossing films of the year.

Kapoor's last release of the year was Karan Johar's drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. Consisting of a multi-starrer cast that included Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan, the film became the second highest grossing film of the year and the year's biggest hit overseas. Her performance as a cosmetic beauty was applauded and earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Filmfare ceremony. Taran Adarsh noted, "Kareena Kapoor is one of the main highlights of the film. She provides the much-needed fun and entertainment in the second half; her performance will be loved by the youth. Playing a cosmetic beauty to the hilt, she is simply adorable." These successes and accomplishments established her as one of the industry's most successful stars.

In 2002, she starred alongside Hrithik Roshan and Rani Mukerji in Kunal Kohli's directorial debut Mujhse Dosti Karoge! (2002), her first film with Yash Raj Films, one of the biggest production houses in Bollywood. The film was a critical and commercial failure in India, though fared well overseas, especially in the U.K. Portraying a love triangle between three childhood friends, the film saw Kapoor playing a young and modern girl, Tina. Her performance was not well received; Sukanya Verma from Rediff.com criticized her, "Kareena Kapoor is inconsistent. The actress looks ravishing in every frame, but she repeats her smug Poo act (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham) to an annoying effect here."

Sooraj R. Barjatya's love-triangle Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, co-starring Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan was Kapoor's next project in 2003. Produced by Rajshri Productions, the film failed to do well in India, but once again, was a hit overseas. Kapoor's performance of Sanjana, the cynosure of two men was criticized, "Kapoor was annoying in her role as Sanjana - a role we have seen her act many times before in movies such as [Karan] Johar's K3G, [Subhash] Ghai's Yaadein and more recently [S J] Suryah's Khushi." Following this, Kapoor was generally criticized by critics for enacting repetitious kind of roles in her films, who were expressing that she was indeed in danger of becoming typecast, which was fundamental in her attempting a diversity of more adventurous roles in the years following.

In 2004, Kapoor began working with independent directors and doing more serious roles that brought her critical acclaim rather than commercial success. Her role of a prostitute in the 2004 film, Chameli proved to be a turning point in her career and made critics take notice of her once again, earning her the Filmfare Special Performance Award. Film critic Subhash K. Jha wrote, "Kareena goes way beyond anyone's expectations, including most decidedly her own, to deliver an all-time great performance, on a par with Nargis in Mehboob Khan's Mother India (1957), Meena Kumari in Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam (1962) and Shabana Azmi in Mahesh Bhatt's Arth (1982). Kareena flashes an intuitive brilliance that comes to movies very, very rarely indeed."

Following Chameli, Kapoor starred in Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed Dev, which dealt with the historical events of the 2001 Gujarat riots. Modeled after Zahira Sheikh, a key witness in Vadodara's Best Bakery case, Kapoor played Aaliya, a middle-class Muslim girl, a victim of these riots. Her performance earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance as well as several nominations for Best Actress at various award ceremonies. Taran Adarsh noted, "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 that same year, Kapoor played her first negative role in Ken Ghosh's Fida. Although the film failed to do well, she received positive reviews for her performance, with one critic writing, "Kareena has finally moved beyond Poo in K3G and has come into her own. She has portrayed the parts where she is racked by guilt very well." Her next releases that year included the thriller Aitraaz, which was moderately successful, and the comedy Hulchul, her first box office success since 2002.

This was followed in 2005 by Dharmesh Darshan's drama, Bewafaa, alongside Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar and Sushmita Sen. Kapoor played the female lead of Anjali, a girl who marries her sister's husband after her death. Unsatisfied with her married life, she sets on a relationship with her previous lover. The film received mixed reviews by critics and so did Kapoor's performance. Taran Adarsh wrote about her performance, "This is Kareena's film all the way and the talented actress knows how to absorb a meaty role like this. She looks stunning, emotes with complete maturity and delivers a knockout performance" whilst another noted, "Kareena...speaks in undertones and looks half-dead.

36 China Town was Kapoor's first release in 2006 followed by Chup Chup Ke. Both films managed to do moderately well at the box office. However, she was mostly noticed with her portrayal of Desdemona in the Indian adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello, Omkara. Directed by Vishal Bharadwaj, the film co-starred Kapoor alongside Ajay Devgan, Saif Ali Khan, Vivek Oberoi and Konkona Sen Sharma. Her performance was praised, earning her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance and a Star Screen Award for Best Actress. Critic Taran Adarsh wrote, "Kareena delivers an award-worthy performance. She looks gorgeous even without makeup." In the same year, she won favorable reviews for her item number in the hit movie Don - The Chase Begins Again.

Kapoor's only release in 2007 was the comedy-romance hit Jab We Met opposite Shahid Kapoor. Directed by Imtiaz Ali, the film tells the story about two people with contrasting personalities meeting each other on a train and how they learn to deal with the situations they face in life. Kapoor played the female protagonist Geet Dhillon, an annoying talkative Sikhni girl from Bhatinda who lives life to the fullest. The film was well received by critics and Kapoor's performance was praised in particular. 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. I can't think of a greater compliment to pay her than to say with full confidence that no actress could play Geet better than Kareena has."

Personal Life of Kareena Kapoor

2007-11-24T05:03:00.000-08:00

Kareena Kapoor began dating actor Shahid Kapoor, the son of veteran actor Pankaj Kapoor in 2004. While dating, their relationship was widely reported in the media, and was once in the center of a scandal when onlookers with mobile phone cameras filmed them kissing and released it to the news.

The couple separated during the filming of their film Jab We Met (2007), though media projected it as a publicity stunt for the film. However, it was later confirmed that the couple had indeed broken up. According to her, they remained on good terms, with her saying in an interview, "I have seen Shahid from his first film to Jab We Met and I can say that there is a marked difference. According to me he is a bundle of talent waiting to explode. I have that much of faith in him as an actor."

In October 2007, during her breakup with Kapoor, rumours began floating around that she was seeing actor Saif Ali Khan. On October 18, 2007, during Manish Malhotra's grand finale show at the Lakme Fashion Week, Khan confirmed their relationship to the media saying, "Yes, we are not exactly shouting from the rooftops but yes, clearly we are together. And we are happy together!"

Gossip columnists have linked her to a number of her co-stars, but she has strongly denied all these rumors."

She also declared in 2006 that she would turn vegetarian to keep her weight in check.

Commitments of Kareena Kapoor

2007-11-24T05:01:00.000-08:00

Kareena Kapoor set on her first world tour in 2002. The Heartthrobs Concert, which had her perform alongside stars like Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, and Aftab Shivdasani went on to be a success.

In February 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, Kapoor performed at the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of Tsunami.

In March 2005, she visited the desert heartland of Rajasthan to boost the morales of the jawans. It was for a special Holi weekend episode on the Jai Jawan show, where entertainers and stars visited Indian troops in far-flung regions to encourage them along with the NDTV team.

She also performed at the "Marco Ricci Each One Reach One Benefit Concert", a fundraiser for the World Youth Peace Summit.

In her latest tour, the Rockstars Concert of May 2006, she performed alongside Salman Khan, Zayed Khan, John Abraham, Shahid Kapoor, Esha Deol and Mallika Sherawat.

Kapoor donated her prize money, her half-share of 50 lakh rupees from her 2007 appearance on the season finale of Kaun Banega Crorepati with Priyanka Chopra, to St. Anthony's Old Age Home and Mount Mary's Bandra in support of its welfare activities.

Kareena Kapoor in the Media

2007-11-24T04:56:00.000-08:00

Despite not having many hits at the box office to her credit, Kapoor maintains popularity. It has been noticed that majority of her films have done better at the overseas box office (the UK, Canada, and the US) than they did in the Indian domestic market.

Kapoor was ranked fourth on Filmfare's list of "Top Actresses" for three consecutive years (2003-2005), and sixth later on (2006). During 2006-2007, she was the only actress to be featured among The highest tax payers of the year. Apart from that, she has frequently been featured in different lists by Rediff.com, including Bollywood's Most Beautiful Actresses, Bollywood's Hottest Heroines, Bollywood's Best Dressed Women and Women of Many Faces.

In 2005, Kapoor appeared on the first season of Karan Johar's talk show Koffee with Karan with Rani Mukerji and later appeared on the second season of the show with Shahid Kapoor and her sister Karisma Kapoor in 2007. In 2006, alongside actress Priyanka Chopra, she appeared as a guest judge on the singing talent contest Indian Idol 2. For the finale of Manish Malhotra's fashion display, Fashion Week 2006, titled Freedom, she modeled and walked the ramp with Shahid Kapoor and actress Urmila Matondkar.

In October 2007, Kapoor featured in the list of Femina's 50 Most Beautiful Women and was listed fourth on the Indiatimes' list of Top 10 Hottest Actresses of Bollywood. The winner of PETA's 2007 Cutest Vegetarian Celebrities online poll with actor R. Madhavan, Kapoor was also ranked number 8 by the UK magazine, Eastern Eye, as one of "Asia's Sexiest Women" in November 2007.

Awards and Nominations of Kareena Kapoor

2007-11-24T04:45:00.000-08:00

Filmfare Awards

Winner
2001: Filmfare Best Female Debut Award, Refugee
2004: Filmfare Special Performance Award, Chameli
2005: Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, Dev
2007: Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, Omkara

Nominated
2002: Filmfare Best Actress Award, Asoka
2002: Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
2007: Filmfare Best Actress Award, Omkara

Star Screen Awards

Winner
2007: Star Screen Award Best Actress, Omkara

Nominated
2001: Star Screen Award Most Promising Newcomer - Female, Refugee
2002: Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
2002: Star Screen Award Jodi No. 1 along with Hrithik Roshan, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
2005: Star Screen Award Best Actress, Dev
2005: Star Screen Award Best Supporting Actress, Yuva
2005: Star Screen Award Jodi No. 1 along with Shahid Kapoor, Fida

Zee Cine Awards

Winner
2001: Zee Cine Award Lux Face of the Year, Refugee
2002: Zee Cine Award Queen of Hearts

Nominated
2001: Zee Cine Award Best Female Debut, Refugee
2005: Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female, Dev
2007: Zee Cine Award Best Actor- Female, Omkara

International Indian Film Academy Awards(IIFA Awards)

Winner
2001: IIFA Awards Best Female Debut, Refugee
2004: IIFA Style Diva of the Year Award

Nominated
2002: IIFA Best Supporting Actress Award, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
2003: IIFA Best Supporting Actress Award, Mujhse Dosti Karoge
2005: IIFA Best Actress Award, Aitraaz
2007: IIFA Best Actress Award, Omkara

Stardust Awards

Winner
2004: Stardust Awards Special Jury Award, Chameli
2007: Stardust Awards Editor's Choice Best Performance of the Year, Omkara

Nominated
2004: Stardust Star of the Year Award - Female, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon
2005: Stardust Star of the Year Award - Female, Dev
2006: Stardust Star of the Year Award - Female, Kyon Ki
2007: Stardust Star of the Year Award - Female, Omkara

Bollywood Movie Awards

Winner
2001: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Female Debut, Refugee
2004: Bollywood Movie Award - Critics Award Female, Chameli

Nominated
2002: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Actress, Asoka
2002: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Supporting Actress, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
2004: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Actress, Chameli
2005: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Supporting Actress, Yuva
2005: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Actress, Dev
2007: Bollywood Movie Award - Best Actress, Omkara

Global Indian Film Awards

Nominated
2005: GIFA Best Actress, Dev
2007: GIFA Best Actress, Omkara

Sansui Awards

Winner
2001: Sansui Awards Best Debutante - Female, Refugee
2004: Sansui Awards Jury's Choice Best Actress, Chameli

Nominated
2004: Sansui Awards Best Actress, Chameli
2005: Sansui Awards Best Actress, Dev

BBC Film Café Awards

Nominated
2005: BBC Film Café Awards Best Actress, Dev
2007: BBC Film Café Awards Best Actress, Omkara

Sports World Awards

Nominated
2005: Sports World Awards Best Actress, Dev
2007: Sports World Awards Best Actress, Omkara
2007: Sports World Jodi of the Year along with Ajay Devgan, Omkara

Other Awards

2004: Anandolok Puroshkar Awards Best Actress, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon
2004: Bollywood Fashion Awards Celebrity Style (Female)
2006: Tuscan Verve Zoom Glam Awards Most Glamorous Actor (Female) of the Year
2007: AIFA Awards Best Actress (Critics), Omkara

Honors and Achievements of Kareena Kapoor

2007-11-24T04:42:00.000-08:00

2004, Kareena was awarded a Marco Ricci Society Young Achiever Award.

2005, Kareena was chosen by the government of India to receive the Rajiv Gandhi Young Achiever Award.

2005, Kareena was crowned Indian Diva 2005 by the viewers of Sahara One Television.

2006, Kareena was awarded the Smita Patil Memorial Award for her outstanding contribution to the Indian film industry.

A recent cricket tournament was named after her by one of her ardent fans.

A special collection of Citizen watches were named after her.