Early life and family
Kareena Kapoor(born on September 21, 1980) born in Mumbai, India into the Kapoor film family of Punjabi Khatri origin, Kapoor is the youngest daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita. She is the granddaughter of actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor, great-granddaughter of Prithviraj Kapoor, sister of actress Karishma 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 also often informally referred to as Bebo.
As children, the Kapoor sisters dreamed of becoming actresses. Kapoor was particularly inspired by Nargis and Meena Kumari. However, despite her family background, her father disapproved of women acting because he believed it to be incompatible with their duty to the family. This led to conflict between her parents, and Kapoor's mother ultimately left her father. Kapoor was raised in Lokhandwala by her mother who worked several jobs to support her daughters until Karishma debuted as an actress in 1991.
Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai before progressing to Welham Girls Boarding School in Dehradun. She studied commerce for two years at the Mithibai College in Vile Parle, Mumbai. However, she disliked her term there and studied only because she 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. However, after completing one year at Churchgate, Kapoor returned to her initial plan to become an actress and began training at the Kishore Namit Kapoor's Acting Institute.
Personal life
Kapoor has been linked to several of her co-stars, but she has denied all these rumors. In 2004, she began dating actor Shahid Kapoor, the son of veteran actor Pankaj Kapoor. While dating, their relationship was often reported in the media until the couple separated while filming Jab We Met in 2007. Although the parting was amicable, the press continues to report conflicts between the former couple and their new partners. In September 2007, during her breakup with Kapoor, speculation began surfacing that she was engaged in a new relationship with Saif Ali Khan. On October 18, 2007, during Manish Malhotra's grand finale show at the Lakme Fashion Week, Khan confirmed their relationship to the media. Their relationship is frequently reported on in the media, and is often subject to press contemplation of a possible marriage between the couple.
Kapoor is very close to her family and has resided with her mother Babita for much of her life. Kapoor and her mother lived together in Lokhandwala and then at Park Avenue in Bandra, Mumbai for several years, and in 2008 Kapoor and her mother purchased adjacent flats in Khar, Mumbai designed by Akshay Kumar's wife Twinkle Khanna. Kapoor says she is an avid reader and swimmer in her leisure time.
Kapoor's weight and diet have often been scrutinized by the media. In 2006, Kapoor declared that she was becoming a vegetarian to keep her weight in check. Kapoor has denied rumours that she is suffering from anorexia and has attributed her weight loss to yoga and a closely-monitored, balanced diet. When Kapoor lost weight and collapsed on set during the filming of Tashan in 2008, media speculation about her health was rampant. She dismissed the incident as a minor health scare.
Other work
During her years in the film industry, Kapoor has also devoted time to other commitments, from being involved with humanitarian causes to participating in stage shows. In 2002, Kapoor set off on her first world tour, the Heartthrobs Concert, alongside Hrithik Roshan, Karisma Kapoor, Arjun Rampal, and Aftab Shivdasani. The show was performed throughout the US and Canada and went on to become a success. In November 2003, Kapoor performed at the Marco Ricci Each One Reach One Benefit Concert, a fundraiser for the World Youth Peace Summit, whilst in 2005, along with other Bollywood stars, she took part in the HELP! Telethon Concert to help raise money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Later that year, she visited the desert heartland of Rajasthan to boost the morale of the jawans for a special Holi weekend episode on the NDTV show, Jai Jawan. The show consists of entertainers and stars visiting Indian troops in isolated regions along with the NDTV team.
In 2006, Kapoor took part in the Rockstars Concert world tour, along with Salman Khan, Zayed Khan, John Abraham, Shahid Kapoor, Esha Deol and Mallika Sherawat. The following year, Kapoor, along with Priyanka Chopra, donated her half-share of five million rupees from her winnings on Kaun Banega Crorepati (India's version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?) to St. Anthony's Old Age Home and Mount Mary's Bandra. In June 2008, Kapoor appeared on the game show Kya Aap Paanchvi Pass Se Tez Hain? alongside boyfriend Saif Ali Khan, and donated half of her Rs. 5,000,000 (US$ 103,000) winnings to St. Anthony's Old Age Home, Bandra. In 2009, she once again donated her winnings of Rs. 1,000,000 (US$ 20,600) from 10 Ka Dum to St. Anthony's Old Age Home.
Kapoor has endorsed several brands, including Kurkure and the clothing chain Globus. Kapoor is the Globus brand ambassador and features in its advertisements; since her start, the brand has experienced a 75 percent increase in sales.
