| Born | 21 September 1980 Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Film actress |
| Years active | 2000–present |
| Partner | Saif Ali Khan |
Kareena Kapoor (pronounced [kəˈriːnaː kəˈpuːr]; born on 21 September 1980), often informally referred to as Bebo, 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; these include her work from contemporary romantic dramas to comedies, period films to major Bollywood productions, as well as less publicised independent films.[1][2]
Born into a family where her parents, Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and elder sister Karismawere actors, Kapoor faced the media spotlight from a very 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 biggest commercial successes to date. After receiving negative reviews for a series of repetitive roles, Kapoor accepted more demanding parts in order to avoid being typecast, and was consequently recognized 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 projects 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), which became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time.
Inspired by Bollywood actresses like Nargis and Meena Kumari, as well as her sister Karisma, Kapoor is well-recognized for her fashion style and her film roles, both of which have contributed in making her a style icon for young women. Her contributions to the film industry have garnered her numerous achievements including six Filmfare Awards, among nine nominations, making her a leading actress of Hindi cinema.[3][4] In addition to film acting, Kapoor is a regular stage performer and has launched her own clothing line in association with being the former brand ambassador for the retail chain Globus. Her off-scBorn in Mumbai, India, on 21 September 1980, into the Kapoor film family, Kapoor is the younger daughter of actors Randhir Kapoorand Babita (née Shivdasani);[5] her elder sister Karisma is also an actress. Often informally referred to as Bebo,[6] 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.[7] She is of Punjabi descent from her father's side[8] and on her mother's side she is Sindhi.[9]
As a child, she had strong aspirations to become an actress, and was particularly inspired by watching the films of Bollywoodactresses Nargis and Meena Kumari.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12]This led to a conflict between her parents and resulted in Kapoor's mother leaving the house with her daughters.[13] After her parents' separation, she was raised in Lokhandwala by her mother, who worked several jobs to support her daughters until Karisma debuted as an actress in 1991.[14] In an interview with Vir Sanghvi, Kapoor said that growing up in a household filled with women helped her become strong and independent.[11] Following her parents' reconciliation in October 2007,[13] Kapoor explained that they "were never officially divorced ... [but] ... liv[ed] separately."[14] Asked about the relationship she shared with her father, Kapoor remarked, "My father is ... an important factor in my life. [Al]though we did not see him often in our initial years, we are a family now."[14]
Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai before progressing to Welham Girls Boarding School in Dehradun.[10] 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".[11]According to Kapoor, she was a good student and received first-class honours in all subjects except mathematics.[11] Upon graduating from the boarding school, she studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College in Vile Parle, Mumbai, but later confessed that she only studied there because she was close to her family.[10] Kapoor then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard University in the United States.[10] She later developed an interest in law and enrolled at the Government Law College inChurchgate; during this period she became immersed in law books and developed a long-lasting passion for reading.[10] However, after completing one year at Churchgate, Kapoor realized that she was not inclined towards academics and returned to her initial plan to become an actress.[11][15] She began training at an acting institute in Andheri, mentored by Kishore Namit Kapoor, a member of theFilm and Television Institute of India (FTII).[16]reen life, including her relationship with actor Saif Ali Khan, is the subject of wide media coverage in India.
Kapoor was initially cast to make her debut opposite Hrithik Roshan in Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000).[10] Several days into the filming, however, she abandoned the project and later explained that, "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."[10]
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 known simply as "Refugee", who illegally transports civilians back and forth across the Indo-Pakistani border. Kapoor portrayed Naaz, a Bangladeshi girl who falls in love with 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."[17] On the experience of making her first film, she described it as "...tough ... [but] also a great learning experience."[10] Refugee became the fifth highest-grossing film in India in 2000,[18] and Kapoor's performance earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.[19]
In 2001, Kapoor appeared opposite Tusshar Kapoor in the romantic drama Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai, which became one of the highest earners of the year.[20] A review in The Hindu, in regards to her performance, 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."[21] 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. The film was met with negative reactions from reviewers and garnered poor box office returns.[20] Kapoor then appeared in the Abbas-Mustan thriller Ajnabee. The feature was adapted from the 1992 American thriller film Consenting Adults,[22] and was a moderate box office success in India.[20]
Later in the year, she played the female lead in Santosh Sivan's period epic Asoka, a partly fictionalized account of the life of Ashoka the Great. It was widely screened across the United Kingdom and North America, and was also selected for screening at the Venice Film Festival and the 2001 Toronto International Film Festival.[23] Featured opposite Shahrukh Khan who played Ashoka, Kapoor portrayed the character of Kaurwaki—a princess of Kalinga with whom Ashoka falls in love—and received her first Filmfare Best Actressnomination.[19] While the film received generally positive reviews, Kapoor's performance received a mixed reaction from critics.Rediff.com concluded that "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."[24]
Her final release of 2001 was Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham..., a melodrama, in which she featured as part of an ensemble cast that included Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan, Kajol and Hrithik Roshan. Directed by Karan Johar, the film was a major financial success and became India's second highest-grossing film of the year, as well as Kapoor's highest-grossing film to that point. It also performed well internationally and became one of the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market, earning over 
1,000 million (US$18.1 million) worldwide.[25] Kapoor's performance as "Poo", a good-natured but superficial girl, was described by Taran Adarsh as "one of the main highlights of the film",[26] and her portrayal earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actressnomination.[19]
1,000 million (US$18.1 million) worldwide.[25] Kapoor's performance as "Poo", a good-natured but superficial girl, was described by Taran Adarsh as "one of the main highlights of the film",[26] and her portrayal earned her a Filmfare Best Supporting Actressnomination.[19]
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 proved critically and commercially unsuccessful in India.[27][28] Kapoor's performances were often identified by critics as unoriginal and repetitive, with little inspiration.[5] They expressed concern that she was becoming typecast, but these negative reviews were fundamental in motivating her to improve her integrity as an actress in subsequent years by accepting more demanding roles.[1][29]
2004–06: Critical acclaim
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.[1] Under the direction of Sudhir Mishra, Kapoor portrayed the role of 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 devastating life experiences. When Kapoor was initially offered the film, she refused it, stating that she wouldn't be comfortable playing the role.[29] However, when the director again approached her a year later, she agreed to do the film and viewed it as an opportunity to show the range of her acting skills.[29] To prepare for the role, she visited several of Mumbai's red-light areas at night to study the dress and mannerisms of sex workers.[29] Upon release, 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.[30] Another reviewer, however 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 likening her mannerisms to that of a caricature.[31] Kapoor's portrayal of Chameli garnered her the Filmfare Special Performance Award[19] and the film marked a significant turning point in her career as an actress.[1]
She next co-starred in Mani Ratnam's bilingual project Yuva alongside Ajay Devgn, Abhishek Bachchan, Vivek Oberoi, Rani Mukerji andEsha 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 review published by The Times of India, 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".[32] 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.[33] Kapoor's role was that of a Muslim victim named Aaliya, modelled after Zaheera Sheikh, a key witness in Vadodara's Best Bakery case.[33] It earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress, as well as nominations for Best Actress at various award ceremonies.[19] Taran Adarsh commented, "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."[34]
Shortly afterwards, Kapoor was cast for the first time as a villain in the thriller Fida. The film follows the story of an on-line robbery and the Mumbai underworld in which her character, Neha Mehra, becomes involved. During the filming of Fida, Kapoor entered into a relationship with actor Shahid Kapoor, whom she later described as having "a major positive influence in my life."[35] Although the film did not succeed at the box office,[36] Kapoor garnered positive reviews for her performance, with some critics noting a distinct progression from her earlier roles.[37] 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.[36] 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 in an effort to become a serious actress, Kapoor was embodying a maturer, more jaded character ahead of her years in Bewafaa which appeared peculiar for a young woman of her age.[38]She then starred in Priyadarshan's romantic drama Kyon Ki, a film that 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,[39] though Kapoor's performance was generally enjoyed by critics, with the BBC describing her as "a pure natural."[40]
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.[41] She next portrayed the Shakespearean character of Desdemona in Omkara, the Hindi adaptation ofWilliam 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.[42] The film premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at theCairo International Film Festival.[42][43] Omkara was embraced by critics and Kapoor's portrayal earned her a fourth Filmfare Award and first Screen Award;[19] her performance was later included in the 2010 issue of the "Top 80 Iconic Performances" by Filmfare.[44]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."[45] Kapoor herself considers her role in Omkara as a "new benchmark" in her career and has made comparisons between her portrayal of Dolly and her own evolving maturity as a woman.[46]
Following Omkara, Kapoor stopped acting for a short time, as she felt that "nothing [was] challenging enough for me to say yes".[46] 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."[47]
2007–present: Jab We Met and other works
Kapoor returned to film as the female protagonist Geet Dhillon, a vivacious Sikh girl with a strong 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$5.48 million).[48] Kapoor won several awards for her performance, including her second Screen Award as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.[19] Rajeev Masand from 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."[49] While shooting for Jab We Met, Kapoor and Shahid ended their three-year relationship.[50] Asked in Mumbai Mirror about their well-publicized break-up, she stated that "I hold him in utmost regard, and I hope one day we could be good friends. He is a great guy."[14] During this period, speculation began to surface that she was dating actor Saif Ali Khan, her co-star in the film Tashan; Khan later confirmed their relationship to the media duringManish Malhotra's grand finale show at the 2007 Lakme Fashion Week.[50]
303 million (US$5.48 million).[48] Kapoor won several awards for her performance, including her second Screen Award as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.[19] Rajeev Masand from 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."[49] While shooting for Jab We Met, Kapoor and Shahid ended their three-year relationship.[50] Asked in Mumbai Mirror about their well-publicized break-up, she stated that "I hold him in utmost regard, and I hope one day we could be good friends. He is a great guy."[14] During this period, speculation began to surface that she was dating actor Saif Ali Khan, her co-star in the film Tashan; Khan later confirmed their relationship to the media duringManish Malhotra's grand finale show at the 2007 Lakme Fashion Week.[50]
The following year, she co-starred alongside Akshay Kumar, Saif Ali Khan and Anil Kapoor in Vijay Krishna Acharya's action-thrillerTashan. Though a poll conducted by Bollywood Hungama named it as the most anticipated release of the year,[51] the film eventually became a commercial and critical failure.[52] 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 to receive a North American release by a Hollywood studio.[53] In preparation for the role, Kapoor viewed several Hollywood animated films to analyse how actors deliver their dialogue.[54] Kapoor then appeared in Rohit Shetty's comedy Golmaal Returns, the sequel to the 2006 film Golmaal: Fun Unlimited. A part of an ensemble cast that included Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi and Tusshar Kapoor, Kapoor played a distrustful wife who believed her husband to be unfaithful. The film received an ambivalent reception from critics and Kapoor herself received mixed reviews. The Indian Express believed the screenplay was unoriginal, 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."[55]Golmaal Returns was nonetheless a major financial success, with revenues of 793 million (US$14.35 million) internationally.[25]
793 million (US$14.35 million) internationally.[25]
In 2009, Kapoor was cast as Simrita Rai opposite Akshay Kumar in Sabbir Khan's battle of the sexes comedy Kambakkht Ishq. Set inLos Angeles, California, it was the first Indian film in history to be shot within Universal Studios Hollywood, California, and featured several cameo appearances from Hollywood actors.[56] The film earned over 840 million (US$15.2 million) worldwide, but was a critical failure.[25] A review carried by The Times of India described Kapoor's performance as "a complete let-down" and "unconvincing".[57] She next played the leading female role 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 in the role of Avantika Ahuja, a woman who is confined to house arrest after finding out that her husband is a terrorist. Describing the film as "an emotionally draining experience", Kapoor explained that it was difficult to disconnect from her character.[58] Upon release, the film was critically embraced and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination.[19] 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."[59]
840 million (US$15.2 million) worldwide, but was a critical failure.[25] A review carried by The Times of India described Kapoor's performance as "a complete let-down" and "unconvincing".[57] She next played the leading female role 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 in the role of Avantika Ahuja, a woman who is confined to house arrest after finding out that her husband is a terrorist. Describing the film as "an emotionally draining experience", Kapoor explained that it was difficult to disconnect from her character.[58] Upon release, the film was critically embraced and Kapoor received her fourth Filmfare Best Actress nomination.[19] 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."[59]
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.[60] Co-starring alongside Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi, Kapoor starred as Pia, an independent-minded medical student and Khan's love interest. On acting alongside Khan, Kapoor revealed that it was "a dream come true" and further stated that her journey as an actress was "finally complete".[61] The feature received much critical devotion and emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time, grossing 2,026 million (US$36.67 million) at the Indian box office.[62] It also did well internationally and earned over 1,080 million (US$19.55 million), the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market.[63] 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."[64] During the 55th Filmfare Awards, Kapoor received another Best Actressnomination for her role.[19]
2,026 million (US$36.67 million) at the Indian box office.[62] It also did well internationally and earned over 1,080 million (US$19.55 million), the biggest Bollywood success of all time in the overseas market.[63] 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."[64] During the 55th Filmfare Awards, Kapoor received another Best Actressnomination for her role.[19]
In 2010, she appeared in the romantic comedy Milenge Milenge, a production that had been delayed since 2005.[65] The feature garnered negative reviews and poor box office returns. Kapoor's role was small and was not well received.[65] She next took the supporting role of the career-oriented Shreya Arora in We Are Family, the Hindi adaptation of the 1998 Hollywood release Stepmom. Prior to working on the project, Kapoor explained that she did not want to watch the original film in an attempt to "interpret the role...in my own style". Reaction to the film was mostly lukewarm, but Kapoor's performance drew positive reviews and ultimately won her theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress;[19] Priyanka Roy of The Telegraph wrote: Kapoor "breathes life and a new-found maturity into what is largely a uni-dimensional character lacking depth."[66] At the end of the year, she reunited with director Rohit Shetty for hissequel to the 2008 release Golmaal Returns. Like its predecessor, the project met with mixed reviews, though became the most successful entry in the Golmaal film series, earning more than 1,000 million (US$18.1 million) domestically.[67] For her portrayal of the tomboy Daboo, Kapoor went on to receive several Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies, including Filmfare.[19]
1,000 million (US$18.1 million) domestically.[67] For her portrayal of the tomboy Daboo, Kapoor went on to receive several Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies, including Filmfare.[19]
Kapoor received further success in 2011 by starring as the love interest of Salman Khan in the romantic drama Bodyguard, a remake of the 2010 Malayalam film of the same name. The project opened to mixed reviews, but became the most popular film of the year, with a domestic total of 1,410 million (US$25.52 million). In a review published by Mint, film critic Sanjukta Sharma dismissed Kapoor's role as the "sacrificial, ornamental [and] submissive female"[68] whilst MiD DAY referred to her as "bright", arguing that she "actually manages to bring her caricature of a role alive."[69] She next appeared in Anubhav Sinha's science fiction film Ra.One, alongside Shahrukh Khan. The film, which follows the story of a London-based videogame designer who creates the strongest villain—only to later realize that it has escaped from the game, saw the use of several new visual effects never seen before in the cinematic history of Bollywood, and became the most expensive Hindi film ever produced.[70] With revenues of over 2,000 million (US$36.2 million)worldwide, Ra.One went on to become one of the highest earners of the year and Kapoor's fourth major success in three consecutive years.[71]
1,410 million (US$25.52 million). In a review published by Mint, film critic Sanjukta Sharma dismissed Kapoor's role as the "sacrificial, ornamental [and] submissive female"[68] whilst MiD DAY referred to her as "bright", arguing that she "actually manages to bring her caricature of a role alive."[69] She next appeared in Anubhav Sinha's science fiction film Ra.One, alongside Shahrukh Khan. The film, which follows the story of a London-based videogame designer who creates the strongest villain—only to later realize that it has escaped from the game, saw the use of several new visual effects never seen before in the cinematic history of Bollywood, and became the most expensive Hindi film ever produced.[70] With revenues of over 2,000 million (US$36.2 million)worldwide, Ra.One went on to become one of the highest earners of the year and Kapoor's fourth major success in three consecutive years.[71]
She followed it by essaying the role of a witty young woman, Riana Braganza, in Shakun Batra's directorial debut Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu(2012) alongside Imran Khan. Produced by Dharma Productions, the romantic comedy is set in Las Vegas and tells the story of two strangers who accidentally get married one night after getting drunk. In an interview with The Times of India, Kapoor explained that she was drawn to the relatable qualities of her character: "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."[72] The film was greeted with positive reviews and was an economic success, earning over 550 million (US$9.96 million) internationally. The Hollywood Reporter found her "endearingly natural"[73] while 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."[74]
550 million (US$9.96 million) internationally. The Hollywood Reporter found her "endearingly natural"[73] while 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."[74]
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Following the completion of Sriram Raghavan's Agent Vinod, Kapoor began working on Madhur Bhandarkar's drama Heroine, a film revolving around the Bollywood film industry through Kapoor's role of Mahi Arora, a faded star. Originally the first choice for her role, Kapoor was hesitant to take on the project when Bhandarkar approached her with the film's brief initial idea.[75] She explained reservations about the criticism her character might evoke and was subsequently replaced by Aishwarya Rai.[75] Several days after production began, Rai left the film due to her pregnancy, and Bhandarkar re-approached Kapoor with the film. Once the director reinforced his faith in her, she agreed to do the film when she was handed the completed script.[75] Kapoor, who described her character as being "bipolar and schizophrenic", refrained from taking on any other projects as she found Heroine to be "very aggressive and tiring".[76]
