After Chameli and Dev, Kareena Kapoor is all set to don the de-glam avatar again.
As both these films have been close to Kareena’s heart – for the unique roles, the awards and the critical acclaim they got – she now has agreed to be the plain Jane in Sudhir Mishra’s next, Dhruv . The film also stars Farhan Akhtar and Mishra’s favourite, Chitrangada Singh.

Sudhir reveals: “It is a love story set against a political background. It is about a man and a woman and their journey amid a political scenario full of turmoils. It is about how their love for each other and for their respective parties bind and separate them.”

As Kareena is busy, the shoot cannot start before September, 2011. Hope she isn’t feeling competition from Priyanka Chopra whose Saat Khoon Maaf holds promise of many an award.

Kareena Kapoor says she hasn’t been doing good roles because she knows she is a good actress and doesn’t have to prove it to anyone.

No! Gossip Mamu didn’t make that up!

Loud mouth Kareena, who turned 30 in September, made her histrionic brag in an interview with CNN IBN after host Rajiv Masand observed that Kareena’s ambitions appear to have changed.

Masand quizzed her on why she was going for big ticket movies such as RA.One, Agent Vinod and Bodyguard, instead of seeking challenging roles such as the ones that she did in Chameli, Dev and Omkara.

“Everyone knows that I am a good actor. I have proved it time and again. I can always come back to those kinds of roles,” Kareena replied without a trace of humility.

Kareena Kapoor in a still from Golmaal 3.
Bebo went on to explain that talent doesn’t matter these days. At the end of the day what matters is the box office success or failure of a film.

“How many people are concerned about an actress’ talent? Let’s be honest here.”

Gyaan for Vidya Balan, Kajol and Rani Mukerji?

Bebo went on to say that other actresses like Katrina Kaif (Rajneeti) and Priyanka Chopra (Kaminey, Saat Khoon Maaf) are now getting good roles only because she cannot be paired with Ranbir Kapoor.

Because of it, “they are having a field day!” says Bebo.

Gossip Mamu is perplexed with the Ranbir logic, considering he didn’t feature in Kaminey and Saat Khoon Maaf?

Here are some other Bebo nuggets from the interview.

“I stay miles away from action. I am the song and dance chick, not an action chick.”

For those of you who don’t care to listen to Kareena for the entire 6m 41s duration of the video clip below, jump to 2m 54s to hear her brag.

Kareena Kapoor has reportedly been focusing on more commercial films since her 30th birthday earlier this year.

The actress recently turned down the lead in her former collaborator Madhur Bhandakur’s latest project Heroine, according to The Times of India. She has previously worked with him on surprise hits Dev and Omkara.

A source told the paper: “Kareena has turned 30 recently, and she is conscious that her streak as one of Bollywood’s leading actresses will not stay with her forever.”

When questioned, Kapoor denied that she had a strategy but said that she wanted to star in commercial films because she had already “proved” her acting abilities.

“The journey has been colourful. I don’t think any other actress has been able to do such varied roles. Whether it was Refugee, Dev, Chameli, Omkara, Jab We Met, 3 Idiots or Kurbaan, the films had a varied spectrum,” Kareena Kapoor says, as she turns 30 on September 21. The actress, who also completes 10 years in the industry this year, has given us some great DVDs for our shelves.

“I got to do different roles — some were liked and some were not — but I am happy as long as I attempted to do them well,” Kareena continued.

Refugee occupies a special place in her heart, since that was her debut. Also, Kareena as says, “It proved me as an actress.”

The other films that she considers turning points in her career were Jab We Met and Omkara.

The actress tells Patcy N the films she loved doing.

It’s a known fact that Kareena Kapoor is easily ruling from the top as far as the demand for a commercially viable glamorous actress with very good acting skills is concerned. Satisfying all the key words here – ‘commercial’, ‘glamour’ and ‘acting’ – Kareena has seen it all pretty up, close and personal during last decade that she has spent in the industry.

Buzz up!
Let’s look at some of the many highlights in her career that have made Kareena what she is today. We would be going through Kareena’s early years in the industry which were not quite her best and how a new phase kick started in her career post films like Chameli and Yuva.

Her initial years – Not quite the best

Any actor other than Kareena Kapoor must have packed her bags and said goodbye to the world of films if the initial reception to some of her films are any indication. Reason being that Kareena’s early years in Bollywood were far more being rosy. Between Refugee (2000) and LOC Kargil (2003), she had 12 releases for herself. However, the only ones which turned out to be real big hits were Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Ajnabee and Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai. In fact Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai was actually a surprise hit because it was mainly a launch pad of Tusshar Kapoor and came with an unusual subject where the lead couple didn’t even unite at the end. Still, the film turned out to be a runaway box office hit and came as a shot in the arm for Kareena. Her spunky act, especially after the repressed character she played in Refugee, was appreciated by all and she continued with her Bollywood journey.

She did pin a lot of hopes on Asoka where she was paired opposite none other than Shahrukh Khan but the film was a critical and commercial failure. Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, where she paired up with Tusshar all over again, sunk without a trace while Talaash… The Hunt Begins with Akshay Kumar didn’t find any takers either. In fact it stays on as one of the most unknown films starring Kareena that even she must have forgotten. Khushi was criticised for being a loud film where all that the lead couple (Kareena and Fardeen) did was scream at each other due to which audience stayed away from theatres. She did work with JP Dutta again in LOC Kargil but at the end of the day, she was one of the 30 odd characters that the war film boasted of. Also, the film didn’t quite turn out to be a smash success and hence was a no gain, no loss situation for Kareena.

Amidst all this mayhem, the other success that Kareena had to her credit was Ajnabee where she played an all-so-supportive young wife of Bobby Deol. The film was a hit and kept Kareena alive and kicking in the industry. However, Kareena had decided that she wanted to do something drastically different in her career. She wanted to get out of the ‘Poo’ or the sweet girl next door image. She was in mood to experiment and break some norms that are typically associated with Hindi film heroines.

She decided to play a prostitute and that too in art house cinema. The film was Chameli.

A new phase. A new Kareena.

Kareena announced to the world that she now wanted to add on something new to her repertoire in years to come. Chameli was a step in that direction and what followed in quick succession were movies like Yuva and Dev that were not quite commercial and conventional cinema by any means. A new actor in her was discovered once Chameli hit the screens. A moderate success, it did make people stand up and notice the confidence with which she played a street walker. What also caught eye was the drastically different portrayal that she had in Yuva where she played an average girl next door. She was totally natural and though the film flopped, her act remained etched in audience’s heart. Her Dev didn’t work well either but since it was anyways an issue based subject; the emphasis was on performance more than box office success. In that context, she did gain from this film.

This wasn’t all as she agreed to play a vamp soon after and that too in an out and out commercial setup where she came together with Shahid Kapoor. The film was Fida and this was the beginning of an on-screen pairing that went on to be seen in five films, right till the recent release of Milenge Milenge. Some of these outings turned out to be successful while a few were no-shows. Fida was one of them and though the songs turned out to be chartbusters, the film failed at the box office. For audience, it was a difficult theme to digest, especially for those who were expecting a romantic outing from the pair.

Kareena was seen with Shahid again in films like 36 China Town and Chup Chup Ke. Yet again, she was working with some of the best directors in business – Abbas-Mustan and Priyadarshan respectively. The songs were chartbusters again (credit that to Himesh Reshammiya). The films were average successes too but the magic that one expects from a couple which is going strong off the screen wasn’t quite visible on the screen. The two worked in unison with each other but audiences weren’t really impressed. They wanted a true blue romantic film that got the best out of both of them. Imtiaz Ali listened to the audiences and gave them Jab We Met.

Once the film released, it became such a rage that it grow at the box office week after week. Despite an average opening that it got for itself, Jab We Met saw a positive word of mouth spread like fire. There were talks re-ignited about chemistry, the sense of togetherness, true love and meeting of hearts. No one doubted any more that Kareena and Shahid indeed had it in them to make things happen at the box office. They were not a flop pairing in any case but Jab We Met turned out to be something that belonged to a different league altogether. No wonder, even when their half a decade long in the making Milenge Milenge released as recent as last month, the film still managed decent eyeballs for itself, all thanks to the pairing which is not quite expected to meet ever again!

Kareena Kapoor talks about her personal and professional life as she completes 10 years in Bollywood
She’s hogged the limelight for more than just her acting — the size-zero debate, her sizzling romance with beau Saif Ali Khan… And, quietly completed a decade in the industry. As for her films, there have been many memorable performances, and a few, not so. Kareena Kapoor opens up on how she has matured over the years, her ‘colourful’ journey, her relationships, and her much-awaited We Are Family. Excerpts…

You’ve completed 10 years in the industry. How has the journey been?

Colourful! My first film Refugee is very special to me because I’ve been particular about being an actor, not a glam doll. My roles in Refugee, Dev, Chameli, Omkara, Jab We Met, 3 Idiots and Kurbaan have been varied; not many actors have done this. Some people have liked my work, some haven’t, but as I said, the journey has been colourful.

And, real life?

I’m a fun-lover who loves spending time with family and friends.

Your latest film We Are Family, the remake of the Julia Roberts-Susan Sarandon hit Stepmom, has a mature topic and a new director

I never felt it was Siddharth Malhotra’s first film as a director. He’s from a filmy family; he’s filmy himself. Siddharth is a very sensitive person.

He says you’ve surpassed Julia Roberts in the film…

It’s an honour that (producer) Karan Johar and Siddharth thought I could essay the role played by Julia Roberts. To me, after Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts is the finest actor. I haven’t watched We Are Family yet, but those who have, congratulated me. But, it’d be wrong to compare the two because the films were made in different times. And, the Hindi film industry is completely different in its approach. But, I’m satisfied with my performance. The character I’ve played is very forward-thinking, contemporary and powerful.

Does your role mirror your real life situation — Saif and his kids…?

No. My personal life and professional life are two different chapters.

You’re acting with Kajol in this film. How was the experience?

It’s an exciting challenge to be working with Kajol!

In Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, Kajol and you played sisters. And, now you play the ‘other woman’.

We didn’t have many scenes together in Kabhi…. Here, we are shown as living under the same roof. We both have powerful roles, but I have a more complex and complicated role — it’s very easy to be the one who has the sympathy, but it’s very difficult to win that sympathy. I hope I’ve achieved what I set out to. I want people to say both of us are spectacular, and that it’s difficult to choose.

Has Kajol changed from Kabhi…to We Are Family?

She’s the same — spontaneous, bubbly and oozing energy. It’s lovely to have someone such as her on the sets, and we got along really well. Working with her is a dream come true. She’s a super entertainer.

Kajol says you have matured …

When I was in Kabhi…, I was quite a baby. Since, I’ve done several films, and it’s been a great journey.

Have you seen Kajol as a mother?

Both Kajol and Karisma are hands-on mothers. I don’t know if it’s something to do with their generation. As for me, I haven’t thought about being a mother.

Are you doing Madhur’s Heroine or have you forsaken it for a Karan Johar film?

I have committed to Madhur’s film. He is scripting the film; the script should be ready in two months.

You are way thinner now …

My weight has always been in the news, isn’t it? I’ve put on some weight now, and plan to be this way. I’m fit, I do yoga, I eat healthy — I’m a vegetarian.

What is the one advice you’d give Saif?

To work with Raju Hirani.

Actress Kareena Kapoor is in news these days for flaunting a ‘no make up look’ on a magazine cover. “Beauty lies in being simple and natural and this is what I believe in. This is the real me,” she said. But, if you thought the actress is truly God gifted to be this beautiful naturally, think again.

HT City contacted renowned beauty experts to decode Bebo’s look on People magazine’s June cover, who said that the no make up look is, in fact, nude make up in disguise, amply helped by air brushing, used commonly by magazines across the world.
“Kareena has reddish freckles and eye bags under her eyes. The freckles and her dark circles are not visible in the picture,” noticed beauty expert Aashmeen Munjal. “There’s use of primer on her face. Freckles have been concealed using a glow foundation, while transparent foundation has been used to hide dark circles.”
“She’s used thin black eye-liner, nude eye shadow and artificial eyelashes, which is a part of make up,” says make up artist Shaan Cherian. “Her cheek bones and the hill of her nose have been highlighted,” says Shanti of Hair and Shanti. “Kareena’s look in Omkara, and Dev was ‘de-glam’, not this! This is nude make up,” said Munjal. Experts add airbrushing has also been used.
Last week, pop diva Madonna’s make up less non air-brushed pictures from a new Louis Vuitton ad created buzz online. About the before and after pictures, fashion blog Celebbitchy wrote, “The final picture in the ad makes her look 20 years younger.”

Kareena Kapoor has one rather distinctive quality. If you were thinking ravishing looks, then make that two. We’re talking about speaking from the heart. This Kapoor girl does not follow rules even while talking to the media; that’s something rare in Bollywood. When she wanted to work with SRK, she made no bones about it. When she thought of Aamir, it was out there for all to know.

So, when you ask her why she signed up for 3 Idiots, pat comes the reply: “I so wanted to work with Raju Hirani and Aamir. Anyone would have been out of her senses to not sign this film. And, I’d really rather do a shorter role than those glamorous roles and flit in and out of scenes.”

Kareena has been very busy since the release of 3 Idiots, with congratulatory messages pouring in, and a quick holiday with beau Saif Ali Khan for ringing in the New Year. But, since the start of the month, she’s been keeping busy with star acts at award functions and stepping on the gas for Karan Johar’s Indian adaptation of Stepmom, starring Kajol, Arjun Rampal and herself. “I love my role in this film. It has a lot of shades. It’s more difficult than Dev, Chameli and Omkara,” says Kareena of her role. She will essay Julia Roberts’ part in the film, that of the other woman who has to handle not only her lover’s kids but also his divorcing wife (Susan Sarandon played by Kajol) who is battling cancer.

En route to her shoot for Karan’s film, Kareena says she’s put on weight and is loving it. While she definitely does not resemble the controversial ‘size zero’, the actor cannot be called ‘well-fed’ by any stretch of imagination! “But, it’s true. I am eating a lot these days. I have put on weight and love myself this way,” says the actor who drew a lot of flak for her thin look. “I have decided this is the way I am going to be.”

After a bad year of flops, 3 Idiots came as a much-deserved hit. “Frankly, I take every year as it comes. No regrets. I personally get bored doing roles such as Kambakht Ishq,” she says, while you blink in surprise at her candour. “I enjoy doing it for my fans. They love to see me in glam roles. But, if you ask me right now, I am very greedy for more meaty roles such as the ones coming up this year,” says Kareena.

Besides Karan’s film, Kareena is slated to work in a full-fledged role opposite one of her dream actors, Shah Rukh Khan, in Anubhav Sinha’s Ra. One, where she plays SRK’s wife. “My character is not what people are assuming it to be. I don’t play a virtual babe who fights and kicks. It is a comic character; she’s the fun and entertainment value in the film.”

As for Agent Vinod, Saif Ali Khan’s Illuminati Films-produced espionage thriller directed by Shriram Raghavan, Kareena is super excited. “Again, it’s not an action role as is being reported. I play a Pakistani CIA agent.” Ask her how Saif and she will be able to create magic at the box office when their two previous attempts — Tashan and Kurbaan — have failed, and she appears annoyed. “I don’t think jodis should matter. Scripts are supreme, and we actors are mere puppets. How about focussing on the roles instead? And just for the record, Shahid and I had five flops in a row before we hit it with Jab We Met,” she retorts.

On the sets of Karan’s Stepmom, Kareena is clearly enjoying the bond she shares with Kajol. “She and I get along like a house on fire. We are kind of similar; no-holds barred, spontaneous people. And, she’s a lovely, intelligent actor,” says Kareena. While Wangdu and Chanchad were surnames she didn’t want to take on in 3 Idiots, Kareena mulls over whether she wants to be a Khan soon. “Actually, I am quite proud of the Kapoor surname and would like to keep it for some more time. As for Khan, I’d give it a thought once this year is over,” she smiles.

Kiss Kiss Ka Kissa is the latest buzz around the B-Town with the news that Kareena Kapoor initially refused to kiss her co-actor Akshay Kumar in the up coming film “Kambakkht Ishq”.

Recently giving an interview to media she finally breaks the silence, “There were no such problems as reported. I am very professional person and if the script demands a kiss I don’t mind going ahead with it.”

It was reported that Bebo refused to kiss Akshay and only after convincing her a lot she agreed. Earlier also the actress has done lip- locking scenes with Fardeen in “Dev” and Shahid Kapoor in “Jab We Met”.

At the end Kareena also said, “Akshay is a good actor and I have enjoyed seeing him since childhood. It’s great working with him too.”

Imtiaz Ali- ‘Kareena belongs to the category of people who are god gifted she will work and she will practice her tans.’

A Youth Icon, A diva, stylish and Classy is how one describes Kareena Kapoor. She is well-famed for the stupendous success of her films like, Refugee, Jab we met, Chameli, Omkara and Dev to name a few. One cannot imagine the success of these films without Kareena Kapoor.

Born in a family of filmy history, her Great Grandfather was not only an outstanding actor but a strong pillar for present cinema too. Being the youngest in the Kapoor clan, Kareena Kapoor has individually contributed to their fame in her own stylish flamboyance. Kareena was awarded the Smita Patil memorial award for her outstanding contribution to the film industry, in the year 2005, the Rajiv Gandhi Young Achiever award by the Government of India and was crowned the Indian diva 2005 by the viewers of a reputed TV channel.

Kareena Kapoor – ‘I think positivity is the healthiest way to living a pure and peaceful life.’

Intentionally turning a deaf ear to things being said about her, Kareena had a very rough time climbing the ladder of success. There were controversies regarding her behavior with the media and her co-stars. Bipasha Basu did not get along with her in film AJNABEE, Mallika Sherawat found Kareena cold while shooting for JEENA SIRF MERE LIYE and the FASHION girl Priyanka Chopra was amongst those involved in cat fights with Kareena. Not only infamous for her behavior, but Bebo’s link ups with heartthrob Hrithik Roshan, the dashing Fardeen Khan got her into the news and her break up with Shahid Kapoor made headlines.

Kareena has the potential to turn adversity into strength and her stint in bollywood is testimony to the same. Post her film Tashan, her unique style and fashion statement has made her the youth icon giving Kareena a new identity. Lately she has been awarded the style diva of the year, celebrity style and Queen of hearts in various prestigious award ceremonies.

This week’s episode of Superstars Superlives features Bebo, right from her childhood to her personal and professional relationship. Not only known for controversies, her behaviour with the media, co-stars but also for her individuality, dedication, determination and discipline…