Kareena Kapoor
Leading lady of Hindi cinema since 2000.
Kareena Kapoor Khan (born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress known for her leading roles in Hindi cinema since 2000. A member of the Kapoor family, she is the younger daughter of actors Babita and Randhir Kapoor and the sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Her paternal grandparents are Raj Kapoor and Krishna Kapoor, and her maternal grandfather is actor Hari Shivdasani; her great-grandfather was filmmaker Prithviraj Kapoor. Actors Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Kapoor are her uncle and aunt, and Ranbir Kapoor is her cousin. Her name was inspired by the novel *Anna Karenina*, which her mother read while pregnant. Kapoor is of Punjabi descent on her father’s side and Sindhi and British descent on her mother’s side. She has described herself as a naughty, spoilt child whose early exposure to films sparked her interest in acting, particularly inspired by Nargis and Meena Kumari. Despite her family background, her father disapproved of women entering films, leading to a separation between her parents until they reconciled in 2007. She was raised by her mother, who worked multiple jobs until Karisma debuted as an actress in 1991. Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai and Welham Girls’ School in Dehradun, then studied commerce at Mithibai College. She later took a summer course in microcomputers at Harvard Summer School and enrolled in law at Government Law College, Mumbai, but left after one year to pursue acting, training under Kishore Namit Kapoor. She debuted in 2000 in *Refugee*, opposite Abhishek Bachchan, playing a Bangladeshi girl during the 1971 war. The film was a moderate success, and critics praised her ease in emoting difficult scenes. She followed this with several roles, including the top-grossing *Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham* (2001), but then faced a series of commercial failures and criticism for repetitive roles. A turning point came with her against-type performance as a sex worker in *Chameli* (2004), followed by critical acclaim for playing a riot victim in *Dev* (2004) and a Desdemona-based character in *Omkara* (2006). Her role as a loquacious woman in *Jab We Met* (2007) won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Further dramatic praise came for *Kurbaan* (2009), *Talaash: The Answer Lies Within* (2012), *Heroine* (2012), *Udta Punjab* (2016), and *Laal Singh Chaddha* (2022). Her highest-grossing films include *3 Idiots* (2009), *Bajrang
- born
- 21 September 1980, Bombay (now Mumbai)
- field
- Actress
- nationality
- Indian
- known_for
- Leading roles in Hindi cinema; recipient of six Filmfare Awards; one of Hindi cinema's highest-paid actresses as of 2024
Lore & Background
Born into the Kapoor family, she is the daughter of actors Babita and Randhir Kapoor, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. After making her acting debut in 2000 in Refugee, Kapoor established herself the following year with several roles, including in the top-grossing drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. This was followed by a series of commercial failures and negative reviews for her repetitive roles. An against-type performance as a sex worker in the 2004 drama Chameli marked a turning point in her career. She earned critical recognition for her portrayal of a riot victim in the 2004 drama Dev and a character based on Desdemona in the 2006 crime film Omkara. Her performance as a loquacious woman in the romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007) earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Further praise came for her dramatic performances in Kurbaan (2009), Talaash: The Answer Lies Within, Heroine (both 2012), Udta Punjab (2016) and Laal Singh Chaddha (2022). Her highest-grossing releases include the comedy-dramas 3 Idiots (2009) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), the action films Bodyguard (2011) and Singham Returns (2014), and the comedies Golmaal 3 (2010) and Good Newwz (2019). She has also starred in the female-led comedies Veere Di Wedding (2018) and Crew (2024). Kapoor Khan is married to actor Saif Ali Khan, with whom she has two sons. Her off-screen life is the subject of widespread coverage in India. She is known for being outspoken and assertive and is recognised for her fashion style. Beside film acting, Kapoor participates in stage shows, hosts a radio show and has contributed as a co-writer to two autobiographical memoirs and two books of nutrition guides. She has started her own line of clothing and cosmetics for women, and has worked with UNICEF since 2014 to advocate for the education of girls and an increase in quality based education in India.
Reader's Guide
Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, followed by Welham Girls' School in Dehradun. She studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College, then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard Summer School. She later enrolled at Government Law College, Mumbai, but after completing her first year, she decided to pursue acting. She trained at an acting institute in Mumbai mentored by Kishore Namit Kapoor. Her career began with Refugee (2000), earning her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. After a breakthrough with Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), she faced a setback with six unsuccessful films in 2002–2003. She revived her career with Chameli (2004) and earned critical acclaim for Dev (2004), Omkara (2006), and Jab We Met (2007).
Did You Know?
- Her name 'Kareena' was derived from the book Anna Karenina, which her mother read while pregnant.
- She is of Punjabi descent on her father's side and of Sindhi and British descent on her mother's side.
- She was raised primarily by her mother after her parents lived separately until reconciling in October 2007.
- She abandoned the lead role in Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) because more prominence was given to the director's son.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"Kareena Kapoor Khan (born 21 September 1980) is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films." — Kareena Kapoor "It’s cool to be a vegan: Kareena", The Times of India (8 March 2009)." — Kareena Kapoor
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