Nothing lasts ceaselessly, so they are saying. That’s until you might be Kareena Kapoor Khan.
She’s the quintessential film star, one of many final in Bollywood. Within the age of social media and prompt entry to actors, she’s managed to keep up an aura of thriller round her. She as soon as famously mentioned that she does not have to be on social media as a result of she is throughout it, anyway. “That is so Bebo na,” her followers say each time they arrive throughout an announcement of hers that no different actress would have dared to utter. Be it Poo from K3G, Chameli from Chameli, Geet from Jab We Met, Dolly from Omkara, or Mahi from Heroine, her stardom goes method past the movies she’s chosen or the field workplace hits she’s delivered. Communicate to any movie critic they usually’ll bemoan the truth that Kareena is an efficient actress who does not select “good” movies. They’d like her to do “cinema” as an alternative of starring within the masala fare she’s recognized for. However the 41-year-old is content material. She’s not one to have regrets. Whether or not she stars in a 100-crore film or a flop, she’ll all the time stay the one and solely Kareena Kapoor Khan. On the eve of Laal Singh Chaddha’s launch, the actor sat down with us for an unique interview. Little did she know it will change into a milestone efficiency…
In these twenty-two years, what’s your primary takeaway from being in Bollywood?
Expertise is essential. Being constant and humble is necessary. And all the time be pleased with your accomplishments in addition to your failures.
How necessary is expertise and the way necessary is temperament while you’re an actor?
Each go hand in hand. Over time, I’ve additionally turn into a calmer actor, and as you develop, your calmness additionally grows. I stored rising and now I’m higher than what I used to be twenty-two years in the past.
Do you are feeling such as you’ve turn into calmer with regards to selecting scripts or caring concerning the field workplace?
I’ve all the time worn each my failure and my success very proudly on my shoulders. That is truly what stored me going. As a result of as an actor, you should be ready for each. And I feel there are takeaways from each. There are classes from each. So, whether or not it is selecting scripts, whether or not it is performances, with age and fixed ups and downs, calmness has simply include it.
You have had the form of longevity as an actress that only a few individuals have — from Refugee to Laal Singh Chaddha. What would you say is the key to your success?
I am very regular and I do not include an excessive amount of baggage. I’ve by no means taken myself significantly as an individual or as an actor.
Actually?
Ya, I feel that is the explanation as a result of there isn’t any precise planning ‘ki yeh image karni hai’. In actual fact, I’ve all the time been like, “I will do movies that I wish to do”. Perhaps, in fact, I’ve had the privilege of doing so, I am not denying that. However I’ve additionally made selections that individuals have thought that ‘God she’s actually foolish and silly, why’s she doing that?’ So, it has been somewhat mixture of that, somewhat mixture of likelihood, and I feel ya, a bag stuffed with hopeful expertise. That is why I’ve survived. In any other case, it isn’t doable.
The place do you get your self-confidence from?
I feel the boldness is in the truth that I do know that I really like my work, I do know that I can do it, and I am a superb actor. Working with Aamir 3 times over, you understand, making it completely different with 3 Idiots and Talaash – how will that be doable? I am all the time like, “No, it will likely be, and I will be certain it’s.” So there’s additionally somewhat little bit of that. You need to have that tenacity inside you.
Are there days while you’re not assured and if sure, how do you cope with that?
Probably not. Perhaps I do not really feel good on a specific day or about one thing however that is regular. However I do not assume there’s been a day that I am not assured about the truth that I do know what I am doing.
Has this self-confidence been a follow through the years, or is it one thing that you simply have been simply born with?
It is all the time been there, it isn’t practised. Nothing is calculated – that’s one factor about me. I haven’t got 4 brokers and two PR individuals telling me what I am presupposed to do. I’ve by no means been that actor. Like ‘oh why is that this not there, why am I not on this cowl, why am I not at this occasion, what am I doing’. ‘We have to do that, or we have to try this’.
You do not put filters in your selfies.
After I got here to Mehboob Studios for this interview, I sauntered in in my denims and my T-shirt, and I might’ve been completely happy to speak in that. However clearly, there is a protocol now. However in any other case, I am happiest when my hair is tied and I am sitting in my denims. And I do not know some other method.
There isn’t a different actor in Bollywood who has such a large fan following within the homosexual neighborhood. Why do you assume that’s so?
From faculty until now, I’ve simply related higher with them. It is one way or the other extra trustworthy. There is a sense of belonging that is there. I do not know why, however I am completely happy.
Revisiting #KareenaKapoorKhan‘s gorgeous trend second on the #FilmfareAwards pink carpet. #FilmfareAwards2022 pic.twitter.com/fW3Z9PIq2Z
— Filmfare (@filmfare) August 29, 2022
You have by no means retracted an announcement.
I am okay with no matter and now I’ve turn into boring, like how I used to be on Koffee With Karan.
Do you keep in mind your slanging matches with Ameesha Patel?
Oh god, I do not understand how. I do not even do not forget that a part of my life.
Does it appear to be one other lifetime?
It seems like one other lifetime. All the things was simply so pointless. However now everybody has grown, and matured, for that matter, even the media has. One way or the other, it is simply completely different now. Individuals additionally wish to speak about extra various things quite than catfights and issues like that.
In 2022, for those who needed to give Poo and Geet a phrase of recommendation, what would you inform them?
They have been simply excellent in each method. As a result of they stood for hope, love, and form of gave those that. You understand, Poo was very harmless. She was simply doing issues the way in which she thought. Just like the issues she mentioned and all the things else that was not meant to deliberately harm or do something. And even Geet, was inspirational in each method as a result of she form of ran away from house, eager to marry this man. She was only a character that gave hope to individuals. And ever since, many of the characters in Hindi motion pictures now are primarily based considerably on them, you understand. There’ll all the time be a touch or a spark that each character will, you understand, wish to have.
After which Geet began a full development.
Positive factor, Geet toh… Everybody was in a Patiala salwar after that. I do not assume Pooh and Geet want any recommendation. As a result of I feel they’re the form of individuals like me — they’ve lived their life to the fullest.
From dimension zero to the modifications that include motherhood, how has your relationship along with your physique modified?
Like each woman, while you’re in your teenagers, you are like, “God, all of us wish to be skinny, all of us wish to look this manner. I want I had thinner legs, I want I had thinner arms.” Now I am identical to… I am performed. I simply wish to be completely happy the way in which I look. As a result of I feel I look nice. And once I look within the mirror, I look superb. And that is what’s necessary. I do not wish to have a six-pack.
Does Kareena Kapoor Khan ever look within the mirror and discover flaws in herself?
No, as a result of I am not that form of individual. I do not wish to discover flaws, I wish to love myself. As a result of if I do not love myself, I do not know if others will love me additionally. You must first begin loving your self for that. And, and I feel I do effectively – even when I do know that I’ve flaws or I am not more than a dimension zero (which I do not wish to be and I do not assume anyone ought to be). However I haven’t got lengthy legs, or you understand, I am not a specific peak, I am like, it is positive. Individuals nonetheless love me. I’m the way in which I’m. You understand, I’m the woman who truly needs to watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S. and eat burgers and fries all her life. If that implies that I will must be a dimension ten or twelve, I am actually completely happy about that. And that is the house I feel each woman ought to be in.
However will that gray hair you have observed hassle you, or that small wrinkle in your face?
It will by no means have an effect on me. Since you’re as previous as you look, and also you’re as match as you are feeling. You must really feel good. I really feel superb now, like, after my exercise, I really feel I look good. So, I am identical to, I am like, I am as previous as I look.
So, do you assume motion pictures have modified?
Disguise their age, conceal their being pregnant, conceal their marriage. They might do all the things.
And you’ve got truly introduced it to the world. So, do you assume the perspective within the business has modified?
I feel so. And I am hoping that it’ll. It’s excessive time that it modified. As we speak, it isn’t nearly being a twenty-something and getting a job and, you understand, no matter. Due to the varieties of performances which are going down as we speak, I imagine that you simply should be a severe actor. Whether or not it is on the internet or OTT, whether or not it is in movies, individuals. I feel there’s work for severe actors. Like now, it is all about how the sport has modified. I simply labored with Vijay (Varma) and Jaideep (Ahlawat) and I discovered the entire expertise to be superb. Since you get to be taught a lot. I am dying to see Darlings as a result of I do know all of them are simply going to be unbelievable. So as we speak it isn’t about that. And if like-minded persons are pondering that method. It is actually archaic.
However you know the way it was. Actresses used to sit down at house after having children. Now it is not the case.
No, now I imagine there are roles for everybody. As we speak, actors are solid if they’re appropriate for the function, and if you understand what they’ll deliver to the desk. Not only for their star worth.
However do you are feeling just like the period of the famous person is over? Even when Karan first launched you on Koffee, he acknowledged that you’re the quintessential, bona fide film star.
We’re within the day and age of accessibility. Stardom may be very completely different and it is tougher for this technology. As a result of they must be actually, actually good. As a result of anybody as we speak will be superb and be on prime. So as we speak, everyone must be on their toes.
What’s the one factor about social media that you simply assume would have been helpful while you made your movie debut and what’s the one motive, you are glad, it wasn’t there.
I keep in mind how, on the time, we have been all very harmless. We might actually simply be excited to be dealing with the digital camera. As we speak, individuals immediately add an image and everybody goes, “Tremendous scorching, tremendous scorching, fab, fab, superb.” At the moment, we have been ready for individuals to observe our movies and provides us their reactions. Which was superb as a result of, you understand, it was real. However I really like Instagram. And I simply really feel there ought to be no place for negativity. Like on my web page, I do not want the feedback. As a result of there isn’t any place for that. As a result of you understand, it is a completely happy web page, it talks about my life, my household, what I like, how a lot I eat, it is a constructive web page. You wish to come, come on it, however you understand, I do not care about eighty million. I simply need individuals to identical to me and know me for who I’m.
