Who is Kareena Kapoor

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Family and Background

Kareena Randhir Kapoor was born on 21 September 1980 in Mumbai. Her father is the Punjabi Randhir Kapoor, an actor and her mother is Babitha, a Sindhi. Her parents separated when she was quite young. Her older sister is Karishma Kapoor, an actress. Her family tree reads like the who’s who of Bollywood. Her great grandfather is Prithviraj Kapoor and her grandfather is Raj Kapoor. Her uncles are Rishi Kapoor and Shammi Kapoor, while her maternal aunt is Sadhana.

Kareena did her schooling partly in Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai and later in Welham’s Girls Boarding School in Dehra Dun. She was in Harvard briefly to study Information Technology and Microcomputers. On returning back to India, she studied law for a year at the Government Law College at Churchgate, after which she enrolled in Kishore Namit Acting School.

Film Career

Debut and breakthrough, 2000-2003:
Kapoor was initially scheduled to make her debut in Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai (2000), opposite the director’s son Hrithik Roshan.However, several days into the filming, she abandoned the project.

Kapoor made her debut later that year in J.P. Dutta’s war drama Refugee. Set during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, the film centers on a man known simply as “Refugee” (portrayed by debutant Abhishek Bachchan).

Kapoor’s first role in 2001 was in the romantic drama Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, which became one of the highest earners of the year.She next starred in Subhash Ghai’s family drama Yaadein alongside Jackie Shroff and Hrithik Roshan. The drama centers on the character of Raj Singh Puri, a middle-class man and his daughters’ marriages. Kapoor played the part of the youngest daughter and Roshan’s love interest, Isha Singh Puri. Upon release, the film met with mixed critical reaction and garnered poor box office returns.Kapoor then appeared in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Ajnabee. The film, based on Consenting Adults (1992),was a moderate box office success in India

Later in the year, she starred in Santosh Sivan’s period epic Asoka, a partly fictionalized account of the life of Ashoka the Great. The film had a strong release in the United Kingdom and North America. It was also screened at the Venice Film Festival and the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival.Featured opposite Shahrukh Khan who played Ashoka, Kapoor portrayed the character of Kaurwaki, a princess of Kalinga with whom Ashoka falls in love.

Kapoor’s final release of 2001 was the drama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, directed by Karan Johar. The film, which featured an ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan, emerged as the second-highest-grossing film of the year in India and Kapoor’s biggest commercial success, with a domestic total of Rs 490 million (US$ 10.53 million).It also performed well internationally and became India’s second biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over Rs 350 million (US$ 7.53 million).Her performance as “Poo” was well-received by critics and earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination.

During 2002 and 2003, Kapoor experienced a slump in her career. She featured in six films — Mujhse Dosti Karoge!, Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, Talaash: The Hunt Begins…, Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and the four-hour war epic LOC Kargil — all of which proved critically and commercially unsuccessful in India.

Turning point, 2004–2006:
Following the negative period in Kapoor’s career, 2004 marked the beginning of her work in more serious films, most of which would bring her critical acclaim rather than commercial success.Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor played a prostitute in Chameli opposite Rahul Bose. The film relates the story of a young prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker and follows the development of their relationship as they share their devastating life experiences.
Kapoor then appeared alongside Amitabh Bachchan and Fardeen Khan in Govind Nihalani’s critically acclaimed film Dev, which revolved around the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in the Indian state of Gujarat.Kapoor’s role was that of a Muslim victim named Aaliya, modelled after Zahira Sheikh, a key witness in Vadodara’s Best Bakery case.

Shortly afterwards, she was cast for the first time as a villain in the thriller Fida (opposite Shahid Kapoor and Fardeen Khan). The film explores Internet theft and the Mumbai underworld. Although it failed commercially, Kapoor received positive reviews for her performance, with some critics noting a distinct progression from her earlier roles.Her subsequent releases that year included Abbas-Mustan’s moderately successful thriller Aitraaz and Priyadarshan’s comedy Hulchul, her first box office success since 2002.

In 2005, she starred in the Dharmesh Darshan directed drama Bewafaa. Kapoor played the role of the Indo-Canadian Anjali, who marries her sister’s husband after her death, but is unsatisfied with the ensuing married life and resumes a relationship with her previous boyfriend.

Later that year, she appeared in Priyadarshan’s romantic drama Kyon Ki. The drama, set in a psychiatric hospital, relates the love story of a mentally ill patient, played by Salman Khan, and his physician, played by Kapoor. The film was a box office failure,though Kapoor’s performance was generally well-received by critics, with the BBC reporting, “It goes without saying that she is a pure natural when it comes to acting.”Kapoor then featured in the romance Dosti: Friends Forever alongside Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, and Lara Dutta. While not a success in India, the film became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2005 in the United Kingdom.

In 2006, Kapoor appeared in three films. She first starred in the thriller 36 China Town followed by the comedy Chup Chup Ke; both films performed reasonably well.She next portrayed the Shakespearean character of Desdemona in Omkara, the Hindi adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Othello. Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, the film is a tragedy of sexual jealousy set against the backdrop of the political system in Uttar Pradesh.

Recent work, 2007–present:

In 2007, Kapoor starred opposite Shahid Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali’s romantic comedy Jab We Met. Relating the story of two people with contrasting personalities who meet on a train and eventually fall in love, Kapoor played the female protagonist Geet Dhillon, a vivacious Sikh girl with a strong zest for life. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year’s most successful films, earning a domestic total of Rs 303 million (US$ 6.51 million).Kapoor won several awards for her performance, including a Filmfare Best Actress Award and her second Star Screen Award for Best Actress.

Following Jab We Met, Kapoor featured alongside Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan, and Anil Kapoor in the action-thriller Tashan (2008).Tashan eventually became a commercial and critical failure. Kapoor next provided her voice for the character of Laila, the love interest of a street dog named Romeo, in the Yash Raj Films and Walt Disney Pictures animated film Roadside Romeo. It was the second Bollywood film to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio.In preparation for her role, Kapoor viewed several Hollywood animated films to analyse how actors delivered their dialogues.Kapoor was criticised for failing to promote the film as she ventured into other projects.

Kapoor next starred in Rohit Shetty’s comedy Golmaal Returns, the sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal. A part of an ensemble cast that included Ajay Devgan, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Arora, Celina Jaitley, and Anjana Sukhani, Kapoor played a distrustful wife who believed her husband to be unfaithful. The film received a mixed reception from critics and Kapoor herself received mixed reviews.

In 2009, Kapoor appeared in Sabbir Khan’s romantic drama Kambakkht Ishq alongside Akshay Kumar. The film, which explores the relationship between two different individuals, became the first Indian film in history to be shot within Universal Studios Hollywood, California and featured several cameo appearances from Hollywood actors.Kapoor portrayed the character of Simrita Rai, a part-time supermodel and an aspiring surgeon.

As of August 2009, Kapoor has completed filming for Prem Soni’s drama Main Aur Mrs. Khanna in which she is to star alongside Salman Khan.[63] She was also cast as the lead in Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, which began principal photography in July 2008.

Personal life

In 2004, Kapoor began dating actor Shahid Kapoor whom she eventually parted with during the filming of Jab We Met in 2007.In September 2007, speculation began to surface that she was dating Saif Ali Khan. On 18 October 2007, during Manish Malhotra’s grand finale show at the Lakme Fashion Week, Khan confirmed their relationship to the media.

Kapoor is very close to her family and has resided with her mother Babita for much of her life. Kapoor and her mother lived together in Lokhandwala and then at Park Avenue in Bandra, Mumbai for several years, and in 2008 Kapoor and her mother purchased adjacent flats in Khar, Mumbai designed by Akshay Kumar’s wife Twinkle Khanna.Kapoor says she is an avid reader and swimmer in her leisure time.

Awards

Winner: Screen Award for Best Actor In Popular Category (Female) (2010)
Movie: Kurbaan

Winner: Screen Award for Best Actor In Popular Category (Female) (2010)
Movie: 3 Idiots

Winner: Stardust Award for Star Of The Year – Female (2008)
Movie: Jab We Met

Winner: Screen Award for Best Actress (2008)
Movie: Jab We Met

Winner: Apsara Award for Best Actress In Leading Role (2008)
Movie: Jab We Met

Winner: IIFA Award for Performance In A Leading Role (Female) (2008)
Movie: Jab We Met

Winner: IIFA Award for Best Actress (2008)
Movie: Jab We Met

Winner: Screen Award for Best Actress (2007)
Movie: Omkara

Winner: Filmfare Award for Best Actress (2007)
Movie: Jab We Met

Winner: Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics) (2006)
Movie: Omkara

Winner: Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics) (2004)
Movie: Dev

Winner: Filmfare Award for Best Female Debutante (2000)
Movie: Refugee

Nominated: Screen Award for Best Actress (2010)
Movie: 3 Idiots

Nominated: Apsara Award for Best Actress In Leading Role (2010)
Movie: Kurbaan

Nominated: Stardust Award for Star Of The Year – Female (2010)
Movie: Kurbaan

Nominated: Stardust Award for Star Of The Year – Female (2010)
Movie: 3 Idiots

Nominated: Stardust Award for Star Of The Year – Female (2009)
Movie: Golmaal Returns

Nominated: Zee Cine Award for Best Actress (2008)
Movie: Jab We Met

Nominated: Zee Cine Award for Best Actress (2007)
Movie: Omkara

Nominated: IIFA Award for Best Actress (2007)
Movie: Omkara

Nominated: Global Indian Film Awards for Best Actress (2006)
Movie: Omkara

Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Actress (2006)
Movie: Omkara

Nominated: Screen Award for Best Actress (2005)
Movie: Dev

Nominated: Screen Award for Best Actress In A Supporting Role (2005)
Movie: Yuva

Nominated: Screen Award for Jodi No. 1 (2005)
Movie:

Nominated: Zee Cine Award for Best Actress (2004)
Movie: Dev

Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Actress (2001)
Movie: Asoka

Nominated: Filmfare Award for Best Actress In Supporting Role (2001)
Movie: Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham

Nominated: Screen Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Female (2001)
Movie: Refugee

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