Karisma Kapoor

Lore & Background

Karisma Kapoor was born in Bombay to actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita. Her younger sister, Kareena Kapoor, is also a film actress. She is part of the Kapoor family; her paternal grandfather was Raj Kapoor, and her maternal grandfather was Hari Shivdasani. Her parents separated in 1988 due to her father's disapproval of women working in films, and she and her sister were raised by their mother. Kapoor studied at Cathedral and John Connon School and briefly at Sophia College for Women before leaving to pursue acting for financial support.

Kapoor made her acting debut in 1991 with the moderately successful Prem Qaidi. She achieved early hits with Jigar (1992) and Anari (1993), and later starred in comedies such as Raja Babu (1994), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995), and Saajan Chale Sasural (1996). The 1996 blockbuster romance Raja Hindustani marked a turning point, earning her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She won the National Film Award and Filmfare Award for her role in Dil To Pagal Hai (1997).

Kapoor took a sabbatical from full-time acting in 2004, appearing sporadically thereafter, including in the web series Mentalhood (2020) and the mystery thriller Murder Mubarak (2024). She was married to businessman Sunjay Kapur from 2003 to 2016 and has two children. In addition to acting, she participates in stage shows and is a prominent celebrity endorser.

Reader's Guide

Karisma Kapoor's significance lies in her role as a leading actress of the 1990s Hindi film industry, where she was both one of the highest-paid and most commercially successful performers. Her career broke a long-standing taboo within the Kapoor family against women working in films, paving the way for her sister Kareena and other female relatives. Kapoor's filmography includes a string of box office hits across genres—romance, comedy, and drama—and she earned critical acclaim with a National Film Award for Dil To Pagal Hai and multiple Filmfare Awards. Her legacy is also marked by her influence on fashion and style, as she frequently played urban, modern characters. After a sabbatical, her sporadic returns to acting and judging roles on reality shows have kept her in the public eye. Her personal life, including her high-profile marriage and divorce, has been extensively covered by the media, contributing to her enduring fame.

Did You Know?

• Kapoor was the first female member of the Kapoor family to pursue an acting career, breaking a decades-old family taboo.
• She won a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award for her role in Dil To Pagal Hai (1997).
• Her informal nickname 'Lolo' was derived from her mother's reference to Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida.
• She took a sabbatical from full-time acting in 2004.