Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor was born on September 21, 1980. Her nick name is Bebo. She is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. During her career Kapoor has been noted for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary romantic dramas to comedies, period films to major Bollywood productions and less-publicised independent films.

Born into a family where her parents, Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and elder sister Karisma were actors, Kapoor faced the media spotlight at a young age but did not make her acting debut until the 2000 film Refugee. Her melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... became India's highest-grossing film in the overseas market in 2001 and is one of her greatest commercial successes to date. After receiving negative reviews for a series of repetitive roles, Kapoor accepted more demanding parts to avoid being typecast and was recognised by critics for displaying greater versatility as an actress. Her portrayal of a sex worker in Chameli (2004) proved to be the turning point in her career, and she was later noted for her performances in the critically acclaimed films Dev (2004) and Omkara (2006). She went on to play the lead female role in the Imtiaz Ali-directed romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007, for which she received the Filmfare Award for Best Actress) and the drama 3 Idiots (2009, the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time).

Inspired by Bollywood actresses like Nargis and Meena Kumari and her sister Karisma, Kapoor is known for her fashion style and her film roles (both of which have made her a trend-setter for young women). Her contributions to the film industry have garnered her numerous achievements, making her a leading actress in Hindi cinema. In addition to film acting, Kapoor is a stage performer and has launched her own clothing line (in association with retail chain Globus). Her off-screen life, including her relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan, is the subject of widespread media coverage in India.

Early life and background

Born in Mumbai, India, on 21 September 1980 into the Kapoor film family, Kapoor is the younger daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita. Her elder sister Karisma is also an actress. Often informally referred to as Bebo, she is the granddaughter of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor and niece of actor Rishi Kapoor. According to Kapoor, the name "Kareena" was derived from the book Anna Karenina, which her mother read while she was pregnant with her. She is of Punjabi descent on her father's side and on her mother's side she is Sindhi.

As a child she had strong aspirations to become an actress, and was particularly inspired by the films of Bollywood actresses Nargis and Meena Kumari. Kapoor, who describes herself as a "very naughty and spoilt child", would regularly dress up in her mother's clothes and perform in front of the mirror. Despite her family background, her father disapproved of women entering the acting profession because he believed it conflicted with the traditional maternal duties and responsibility of women in the family. This led to a conflict between her parents, and resulted in Kapoor's mother leaving with her daughters. After her parents' separation she was raised in Lokhandwala by her mother, who worked at several jobs to support her daughters until Karisma debuted as an actress in 1991. In an interview with Vir Sanghvi, Kapoor said that growing up in a household filled with women helped her become strong and independent. Following her parents' reconciliation in October 2007, they were never officially divorced but lived seperately. About the relationship with her father she told that - "He is an important factor in my life. Though we didn't see him often in our initial years, we are family now."

Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, followed by Welham Girls School - a boarding school in Dehradun. She later recalled, "I learnt so much from being at Welham" and described her experience there as "one of the finest parts of my life". According to Kapoor, she was a good student and received first-class honours in all subjects except mathematics. After graduating from Welham she studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College in Vile Parle (Mumbai), but later confessed that she only studied there because it was close to her family. Kapoor then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard University in the United States. She later developed an interest in law and enrolled at the Government Law College in Churchgate. During this period, she became immersed in law books and developed a long-lasting passion for reading. However, after completing one year at Churchgate Kapoor decided to return to her initial plan to become an actress. She began training at an acting institute in Andheri mentored by Kishore Namit Kapoor, a member of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

Acting career

2000–2003: Debut, breakthrough and setback

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

She made her debut later that year in J.P. Dutta's war drama Refugee, alongside Abhishek Bachchan. Set during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1971, the film centers on a man who illegally transports civilians back and forth across the border. Kapoor portrayed Naaz, a Bangladeshi girl who falls in love with the refugee while illegally migrating to Pakistan with her family. Her performance was acclaimed by critics. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote that Kapoor "has a magnetic personality, which will make the viewer fall in love with her instantly. What surprises you is the ease with which she emotes the most difficult of scenes. There is no denying the fact that she is a natural performer who is very camera friendly." On the experience of making her first film, she described it as "tough but also a great learning experience." Refugee became the fifth-highest-grossing film in India in 2000, and Kapoor's performance earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

In 2001 Kapoor appeared opposite Tusshar Kapoor in the romantic drama Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, which became one of the highest-earning films of the year. A review of her performance in The Hindu noted that she was "definitely the actress to watch out for, if her debut with Abhishek in Refugee and now Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai are any indication. Kareena shines throughout the flick, with the grace of a seasoned sizzler already". 

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 youngest daughter and Roshan's love interest, Isha Singh Puri. The film received negative reviews, and was unsuccessful at the box office. 

Kapoor then appeared in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Ajnabee. The feature was adapted from the 1992 American thriller Consenting Adults and was a moderate box-office success in India.

Later that year Kapoor played the female lead in Santosh Sivan's period epic Asoka, a partly fictionalised account of the life of Ashoka the Great. It was widely screened across the United Kingdom and North America and was selected for the Venice and 2001 Toronto International Film Festivals. Featured opposite Shahrukh Khan who played Ashoka, Kapoor portrayed Kaurwaki—a Kalingan princess, with whom Ashoka falls in love—and

received her first Filmfare Best Actress nomination. While the film received generally-positive reviews, Kapoor's performance received mixed reactions from critics. Rediff.com concluded, "while a large portion of the first half is focused on the emerging romance between the runaway prince and herself and to their credit they do manage to whip up some on-screen chemistry, I am still unsure as to her acting abilities".

Kapoor's final release of 2001 was Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., a melodrama in which she was part of an 

ensemble cast which included Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan. Directed by Karan Johar, the film was a major financial success. It became India's second highest-grossing film of the year and Kapoor's highest-grossing film to that point. It also became one of the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over 1,000 million (US$18.9 million) worldwide. Kapoor's performance as Poo, a good-natured and superficial girl, was described by Taran Adarsh as "one of the main highlights of the film" and earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination. During 2002 and 2003, Kapoor experienced a setback in her career. She was 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 were critically and commercially unsuccessful in India. Kapoor's performances were cited by critics as unoriginal and repetitive, with little inspiration. They expressed concern that she was becoming typecast, but these negative reviews motivated her to improve as an actress by accepting more demanding roles.

2004–2006: Critical acclaim

The year 2004 marked the beginning of Kapoor's work in more serious films, most of which would bring her critical acclaim rather than commercial success. Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor portrayed a prostitute in Chameli. The film relates the story of a young prostitute who meets with a widowed investment banker, played by Rahul Bose, and follows the development of their relationship as they share their experiences in life. When Kapoor was initially offered the film she refused it, explaining that she would be uncomfortable in the role. However, when the director again approached her a year later she agreed to do the film. She now viewed it as an opportunity to demonstrate her acting range. To prepare for the role, she visited several of Mumbai's red-light districts at night to study the dress and mannerisms of sex workers. The film and Kapoor's performance opened to predominantly positive reviews by critics with the Indiatimes praising her "intuitive brilliance" and stating that she had exceeded all expectations. Another reviewer expressed concern that they found her portrayal unconvincing and excessively stereotypical, describing her as "sounding more like a teenager playacting than a brash, hardened streetwalker" and comparing her mannerisms to a caricature. However, Kapoor's portrayal of Chameli garnered her the Filmfare Special Performance Award and the film marked a turning point in her career as an actress.

Kapoor next co-starred in Mani Ratnam's bilingual project Yuva alongside Ajay Devgn, Abhishek  Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji and Esha Deol. The film, consisting of three chapters, tells the story of six individuals linked by a car accident. Kapoor is featured in the third chapter as Oberoi's love interest Mira, a witty young woman. In a Times of India review film critic Subhash K Jha described her role as "fey and insubstantial" but further stated that "she turns these character traits to her own advantage to create a girl who is at once enigmatic and all-there, a bit like the film itself which is both mysterious and voluptuous". She 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 Zaheera Sheikh - a key witness in Vadodara's Best Bakery case. It earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and nominations for Best Actress at various award ceremonies. Taran Adarsh said, "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".

Shortly afterwards, Kapoor was cast for the first time as a villain in the thriller Fida. The film depicts an online robbery and the Mumbai underworld in which her character, Neha Mehra, becomes involved. During the filming of Fida Kapoor began a relationship with actor Shahid Kapoor, whom she later described as having "a major positive influence in my life". Although the film was unsuccessful at the box office 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 thriller Aitraaz and Priyadarshan's comedy Hulchul, both of which did well at the Indian box office. 

Following the success of her last two releases, she was cast as the protagonist in the 2005 drama Bewafaa. The feature received mostly negative reviews, and Kapoor's portrayal of Anjali Sahai, an unfaithful woman, was not well received. Nikhat Kazmi of Indiatimes believed that to become a serious actress Kapoor was embodying a maturer, more-jaded character beyond her years in Bewafaa. She then starred in Priyadarshan's romantic drama Kyon Ki, a film which 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. However, Kapoor's performance was generally enjoyed by critics (with the BBC describing her as "a pure natural"). In 2006, Kapoor appeared in three films. She first starred in the thriller 36 China Town followed by the comedy Chup Chup Ke. Both were moderately successful. 

She next portrayed the Desdemona character 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. It premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival. Omkara was embraced by critics, and Kapoor's portrayal earned her a fourth Filmfare Award and first Screen Award. .Hher performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by Filmfare. According to Rediff.com, "Kareena’s character is one of the hardest to essay as she goes through love and awe, fear and bewilderment, defiance to her father and submission to her man. Kareena does not have the lines, but she has moments demanding powerful use of expression, and she delivers". Kapoor considered her role in Omkara as a "new benchmark" in her career, and compared her portrayal of Dolly with her own evolving maturity as a woman.

Following Omkara Kapoor stopped acting for a short time, as she felt that "nothing was challenging enough for me to say yes". In an interview with The Times of India Kapoor commented, "In my initial years in the industry, I pushed myself to do a lot of work because I was greedy. I did some films – which I now regret – purely for the money. Today, I want to do selective films". She later described this period as a way of "finally getting to do the things I have always wanted to do".

2007 to present: Jab We Met and other works

Kapoor returned to film as the female protagonist Geet Dhillon, a vivacious Sikh girl with a zest for life, in the Imtiaz Ali-directed romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007). Featured opposite Shahid Kapoor, the film relates the story of two people with contrasting personalities who meet on a train and eventually fall in love. The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year's most successful films with a domestic box office of 303 million (US$5.73 million). Kapoor won several awards for her performance including her second Screen Award and the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Rajeev Masand of 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". While shooting Jab We Met, Kapoor and Shahid ended their three-year relationship. Asked in Mumbai Mirror about their well-publicized breakup, she stated "I hold him in utmost regard, and I hope one day we could be good friends. He is a great guy". During this period, speculation began to surface that she was dating actor Saif Ali Khan her co-star in Tashan. Khan later confirmed their relationship to the media during Manish Malhotra's finale at the 2007 Lakme Fashion Week.

The following year, Kapoor co-starred with Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor in Vijay Krishna Acharya's action-thriller Tashan. Although a poll conducted by Bollywood Hungama named it the most anticipated release of the year. The film was a commercial and critical failure. She 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 with a North American release by a Hollywood studio. In preparation for the role, Kapoor viewed several Hollywood animated films to analyse how actors deliver their dialogue. She then appeared in Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal Returns, the sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal: Fun Unlimited. Part of an ensemble cast which included Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor, Kapoor played a mistrustful wife who believed her husband was unfaithful. The film had an ambivalent reception from critics, and Kapoor received mixed reviews. The Indian Express believed the screenplay was derivative, concluding "There is nothing particularly new about a suspicious wife keeping tabs on her husband and there is nothing particularly new in the way Kareena plays it". However, Golmaal Returns was a financial success with international revenues of 793 million (US$14.99 million).

In 2009, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai, opposite Akshay Kumar, in Sabbir Khan's battle-of-the-sexes comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Set in Los Angeles, it was the first Indian film in history to be shot at Universal Studios and featured cameo appearances by Hollywood actors. The film earned over 840 million (US$15.88 million) worldwide, but was a critical failure. A review in The Times of India described Kapoor's performance as"a complete let-down" and "unconvincing". She next played the leading lady in the dramatic thriller Kurbaan, alongside Saif Ali Khan and Vivek Oberoi. The film (which marked the directorial debut of Rensil D'Silva) featured Kapoor as Avantika Ahuja, a woman under house arrest after discovering her husband is a terrorist. Describing the film as "an emotionally draining experience", Kapoor explained that it was difficult to disconnect from her character. The film was critically praised, and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination. According to Subhash K Jha, "Kurbaan belongs to Kareena Kapoor. In her most consistently pitched performance to date she pulls out all stops to play a betrayed wife with splendid sensitivity. Kareena accommodates her radiant beauty into an utterly credible character and performance. At her best, Kareena is incomparable. She proves it in Kurbaan".

Her final release of the year was Rajkumar Hirani's drama 3 Idiots, a film loosely based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat. Co-starring alongside Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, Kapoor played Pia - an independent medical student and Khan's love interest. On acting with Khan, Kapoor revealed that it was "a dream come true" and stated that her journey as an actress was "finally complete". The film received critical acclaim and emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, grossing 2,026 million (US$38.29 million) in India. It also did well internationally, earning over 1,080 million (US$20.41 million) - the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market. The Deccan Herald opined that Kapoor "brings a dollop of sunshine and feminine grace to an otherwise masculine tale. She is so spunky and spontaneous you wish there was room for more of her". During the 55th Filmfare Awards, Kapoor received another Best Actress nomination for her role.

In 2010 Kapoor appeared in the romantic comedy Milenge Milenge, a production delayed since 2005. The

feature garnered negative reviews and poor box-office returns. Kapoor's role was small, and not well received. She next took a supporting role as career-oriented Shreya Arora in We Are Family, the Hindi adaptation of the 1998 Hollywood release Stepmom. Before working on the project, Kapoor explained that she did not want to watch the original film because she wanted to "interpret the role...in my own style". Reaction to the film was lukewarm, but Kapoor's performance drew positive reviews and ultimately won her the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Priyanka Roy of The Telegraph wrote, Kapoor "breathes life and a new-found maturity into what is largely a uni-dimensional character lacking depth". At the end of the year, she reunited with director Rohit Shetty for his sequel to the 2008 release Golmaal Returns. Although the film received mixed reviews it was the most successful entry in the Golmaal series, earning more than 1,000 million (US$18.9 million) domestically. For her portrayal of the tomboy Daboo, Kapoor received Best Actress nominations at various award ceremonies (including Filmfare).

Kapoor had further success in 2011 as love interest for Salman Khan in the romantic drama Bodyguard, a remake of the 2010 Malayalam film of the same name. Although it opened to mixed reviews it became the most popular film of the year, with a domestic total of 1,410 million (US$26.65 million). In a review in Mint 

film critic Sanjukta Sharma dismissed Kapoor's role as a "sacrificial, ornamental and submissive female". MiD DAY referred to her as "bright", arguing that she "actually manages to bring her caricature of a role alive". 

She next appeared in Anubhav Sinha's science fiction film Ra.One with Shahrukh Khan. The film which follows the story of a London-based video-game designer who creates the strongest villain, only to later realize that it has escaped from the game saw the use of several visual effects never before seen in Bollywood, and became the most expensive Hindi film ever produced. With revenues of over 2,000 million (US$37.8 million) worldwide, Ra.One became one of the biggest earners of the year and Kapoor's fourth major success in three years.

She followed it with the role of a witty young woman, Riana Braganza, in Shakun Batra's directorial debut Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012) with Imran Khan. Produced by Dharma Productions, the romantic comedy is set in Las Vegas and tells the story of two strangers who get married one night after getting drunk. In an interview with The Times of India, Kapoor explained that she was drawn to her character's qualities: "Riana knows what she is doing. Even though she does not have a house or a job, she is a positive person  very similar to the way I am". The film received positive reviews and was an economic success, earning over 550 million (US$10.4 million) internationally. The Hollywood Reporter found her "endearingly natural".Sukanya

Verma of Rediff.com asserted that "after doing ornamental roles in films like Bodyguard and Ra.One, it is nice to see the spunky actress in her element again since Jab We Met. Though vivacious, her Riana isn't a child-woman like Geet but a free-spirited, unflappable adult armed with plucky impulses and scrumptious smile that helps Rahul come-of-age and Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu worth a helping".

After filming Sriram Raghavan's Agent Vinod Kapoor began work on Madhur Bhandarkar's drama Heroine, a film revolving around the Bollywood film industry through Kapoor's viewpoint as Mahi Arora, a faded star. Originally the first choice for the role, Kapoor was hesitant to take on the project when Bhandarkar approached her with the film's initial concept. With reservations about the criticism her character might evoke, she was replaced by Aishwarya Rai. Days after production began, Rai left the film due to her pregnancy and Bhandarkar re-approached Kapoor with the film. When the director reinforced his faith in her, she agreed to do the film after receiving the completed script. Kapoor who described her character as 

"bipolar and schizophrenic" refrained from taking on any other projects, since she found Heroine "very aggressive and tiring".

Off-screen work

Stage performances

Kapoor has taken part in several stage shows and world tours since 2002. Her first world tour (Heartthrobs:

Live in Concert with Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Aftab Shivdasani) was successful in the United States and Canada. At the end of that year she performed with several other Bollywood stars at Kings Park Stadium in Durban, South Africa in the show Now or Never. Four years later, Kapoor took part in the Rockstars Concert world tour with Salman Khan, Zayed Khan, John Abraham, Shahid Kapoor, Esha Deol and Mallika Sherawat. The concert was staged in 19 cities across the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, and was a success. In 2008 Kapoor performed in Shahrukh Khan's Temptation Reloaded 2008, a series of concerts in a number of countries. The show, which also featured Arjun Rampal, Katrina Kaif, Ganesh Hegde, Javed Ali and Anusha Dandekar was staged at the Ahoy Rotterdam venue in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Several months later she again joined Khan, Rampal and Kaif to perform for an audience of 15,000 at Dubai's Festival City Arena.

Humanitarian work

During her years in the film industry, Kapoor has been involved with humanitarian causes. In November 2003 she performed at the Marco Ricci Each One Reach One Benefit Concert, a fundraiser for the World Youth Peace Summit. In 2005, she and other Bollywood stars participated in the HELP! Telethon Concert to raise money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake.[83] Later that year, she visited the desert heartland of Rajasthan to boost morale of jawan (infantry) troops in a special Holi weekend episode of the NDTV show, Jai Jawan. The programme consists of entertainers who visit Indian troops in isolated regions (with an NDTV crew). During her 2010 appearance in the NDTV Greenathon, Kapoor adopted the village of Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh to provide it with electricity. While there, she also raised awareness of the 

need for a greener environmental future.

Several months later Kapoor participated in UNESCO and FIFA's international campaign, 1GOAL Education for All. The project consisted of a group of individuals raising public awareness and involvement in education for children. On joining the project, she said "Education is a way to emancipation. It is not just freedom from poverty but also from hopelessness. Countries in Southeast Asia have a high level of poverty and we should do something to help erase this. I would like to contribute in some way or other to help spread this awareness". In March 2011 Kapoor was appointed ambassador for the Shakti Campaign, a project launched by the NDTV television network to combat violence against women in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day.

Clothing line

In August 2007, Kapoor replaced actress Soha Ali Khan as spokesperson for the clothing chain Globus in a two-year contract. Vinay Nadkarni, CEO of Globus Stores, explained that to move from a multi-brand to a single-brand strategy for its stores, the clothing chain decided to appoint a different spokesperson for its new venture. On being appointed by Globus, Kapoor commented "I am delighted to be the face of Globus I look forward to spreading this new language of fashion across the nation". Since then, the brand had reported a 75-percent increase in sales.

Several months later Kapoor announced that she would be launching her own line of clothing, becoming the first Indian actress to do so. "I will be launching my exclusive line of clothes soon and I am quite sure people will like it. My clothing line is very reflective of my personal sense of style and will have my label on it. Just like I am pretty casual about my dressing, my line will also consist of an extremely wearable yet stylish collection. I am taking out this line in association with Globus, a brand that I am also the ambassadress for". She further stated that she would also be involved in the planning and design processes of the clothing. Her clothing line debuted several months later in stores across India and was well received by the public. Following the end of her contract with Globus, Kapoor expressed a desire to work with a design house to release her clothing line internationally. She later explained that those planswere on hold due to prior commitments.

Public image and character

Known for her nonchalant relationship with the media, Kapoor has gained a reputation for discussing her public and private life with no reservations. As a child she regularly attended award ceremonies and events with her mother and sister, and would also accompany Karisma on-set during filming. In an interview with Filmfare, she explained that growing up in a film family helped her develop a sense of professionalism and dedication towards her craft. Kapoor's private life has been the subject of media attention in India, with press coverage of her relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan. The couple—dubbed "Saifeena" by the entertainment media—has been one of the country's most-reported celebrity stories since 2007.

As one of her most distinctive physical features, Kapoor's lips have been identified by the Indian media a sher trademark. Her personality has been open to debate and criticism. While a segment of the press has  described her as friendly and extremely close to her family, others have described her as arrogant and vain—an image she gained in the wake of her superficial character, Poo, in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham(2001). She subsequently featured in films portraying similar characters, and this further established her off- and on-screen personae. Before the release of Chameli (2004) in which she played a sex worker, Kapoor stated that "there is a certain image that people identify you with and it always follows you whichever role you play. I am trying to transgress this image and become more screen-friendly than image-friendly". Chameli helped Kapoor reinvent her on-screen persona and she later explained that her honesty and openness was often perceived by the media as arrogance.

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Kapoor is also known for her assertive and moody nature. In an early interview, she confessed to being an "introvert, yet extremely candid and blunt", reasoning. "Total faith and complete belief in myself is my attitude towards life, films and virtually everything else. I am all about doing what I feel is right. It is not easy to pin me down as I can be a bundle of contradictions". When asked about the comparison with her sister, Kapoor explained that they were "poles apart" and credited her mother for allowing them to be themselves. In an article discussing the careers of Indian women in various fields, the magazine Verve mentioned Kapoor's outspoken views and assertive nature as making major contributions to her career.  They"added to her superstar aura."

Today, Kapoor is considered as one of the most popular Bollywood celebrities in India. Her look and performances have established her as a style icon for young women. In a 2009 poll conducted by the newspaper Daily News and Analysis Kapoor was voted one of India's most popular icons with her partner Saif Ali Khan, she was listed amongst the top celebrity endorsers for brands and products worldwide. She became the only Indian actress to be featured on CNNGo's list of "Who Mattered Most in India" and was later selected by Verve for its list of the country's most powerful women from 2008 to 2010. Kapoor placed eighth in Filmfare Magazine's annual "power list" her second consecutive appearance in the previous year, she placed tenth). In June 2010 Kapoor was described as "India's Most Beautiful Woman" by People, whilst UK magazine Eastern Eye named her "Asia's Sexiest Woman" in 2011.

Performances: technique and analysis

According to reports, Kapoor relies on her instincts and spontaneity as an actor. She is known to commit heavily to each role and refrains from rehearsing for a project. Commenting on this, director Rajkumar Hirani said "I usually have a habit of conducting rehearsals for my actors, but she insisted on not having them as it would affect her spontaneity. She really surprised me with a couple of emotional scenes which we canned in just one take". Karan Johar described Kapoor as a "natural", explaining that "she has no craft, grammar or process attached to her acting. It is a great sense of cinema that can keep her going". Accordingto Rensil D'Silva who directed her in Kurbaan, "Kareena is instinctive and has emotional intelligence. She absorbs the situation and performs accordingly. Discussing the scene, in fact, harms her".

While credited with reinventing herself in recent years, Kapoor and her films have been the subject of considerable critical analysis. In a 2010 article discussing her career highlights, Rediff.com noted "Even though a lot of her starring roles have been forgettable, a look at her filmography now, however, would show more a more thoughtful selection of roles playing to her strengths". Before her acting debut, Kapoor explained that she avoided the stereotypical college-student role and opted to play "a role that could help me prove I am an actress first". After her success as Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham(2001), directors began offering her similar roles and her film choices were often criticized. The movie historian Gyan Prakash explained that these roles "tended to infantilise her, packaging her as daddy's little girl, all bubble and no fizz". Critics expressed concern that she was becoming typecast, but these negative reviews were fundamental in motivating her to accept more demanding roles. With the release of Chameli (2004) some critics noted her coming of age, claiming that "a new actor in her was discovered".

Following her portrayal of such characters as those in Chameli, Dev (2004), Omkara (2006) and Jab We Met (2007), Kapoor was recognized for her versatility. In 2010, Filmfare Magazine included two of her performances—from Omkara and Jab We Met—in its list of "80 Iconic Performances". India Today labelled her "the most versatile female lead in the industry", noting that she "plays her roles with a trademark 

spunk". Manjula Sen of The Telegraph concurred". Despite having the worst success ratio among her contemporaries Kapoor is effortlessly honest in her performances". Writing for CNN-IBN, Rituparna Chatterjee spoke of her transformation to date: "After 40 films and 10 years of fighting off competition from some of the most versatile actors of her generation, Kareena has matured into a bankable actor reinventing herself with surprising ease, film after film". In 2004, Kapoor placed third on Rediff's list of "Top Bollywood Female Stars". She was later ranked seventh and fifth in 2005 and 2006, respectively and returned to third place in 2007. In January 2011, Kapoor placed fourth on Rediff's list of "Top 10 Actresses of 2000–2010".