A closer look at Kareena’s career – which started with the release of Refugee in June 2000 — offers a lesson in longevity and reinventing oneself.

Kareena Kapoor Khan occupies the top slot among Indian film stars

With a bunch of balloons in hand and wearing an off-shoulder, high-slit gown, Kareena Kapoor Khan announced in her Instagram post last evening that she is bringing in her birthday. What can be more fabulous than the now 44-year-old star — who never fails to appear self-assured — flagging off her birthday celebration, in her inimitable way, with her admirer and co-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Mombattiye’, an ode to a beautiful girl, playing as a musical accompaniment.

Considered to be one of India’ most beloved stars, Kareena has over the years forged a multi-dimensional career that many dream of emulating. A leading film star and fashion icon, Kareena in recent years has also taken up the roles of a chat show host, entrepreneur and producer. The professional achievements apart what makes Kareena special is the way she nonchalantly defies the ageist biases prevalent in the film industry. Flexing her star-power and versatility, Kareena now seems to be headed for the most exciting phase of her career, leaving behind the pressure of proving herself or having a ‘size-zero’ figure.

A closer look at Kareena’s career – which started with the release of Refugee in June 2000 — offers a lesson in longevity and reinventing oneself. During the course of her remarkable career, she has delivered several compelling performances as Kaurwaki in Aśoka (2021), Aaliya in Dev (2004), Dolly in Omkara (2006), Geet in Jab We Met (2007), Pia in 3 Idiots (2009) and others. Most importantly, she has in recent years taken up more challenging roles with movies like Jaane Jaan (2023) and just-released The Buckingham Murder. With the commercial success of Crew she has also proven herself to be a crowd-puller.

Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shahid Kapoor in a still from Imtiaz Ali’s Jab We Met.Ideally, we shouldn’t discuss how Kareena is thriving professionally in spite of being a mother of two (Taimur, 7, and Jeh, 3). A woman achieving this feat should be a normal, everyday occurrence. Kareena herself has dismissed such platitudes by saying that her mother-in-law, the illustrious and gorgeous Sharmila Tagore, has shown decades ago how to handle motherhood and a demanding career in films and so have other successful women.
Also read | Kareena Kapoor hosted Omkara screening for directors, expected ‘everyone to praise’ her: ‘They all said you are nice, but Saif is fab’
Yet, it is hard to ignore that unlike many of her contemporaries, Kareena continues to make a splash with her big screen appearances and plays lead characters. Kareena possesses the acumen to pick the roles that help her retain the position as Bollywood A-lister and the reputation as an actor who delivers riveting performances. Even when Laal Singh Chaddha (2022) tanked at the box-office, she was praised for her portrayal of Rupa. In Jaane Jaan, while essaying the character of Maya D’ Souza, a single mother caught in a crime investigation, held her own in the company of fine co-actors like Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma.

It is evident that the actor, who one proclaimed on screen that she is impressed by “good looks, good looks and good looks” (in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham), is aiming for more. She has already left Poo (Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham) and Geet (Jab We Met) behind. Instead, she is quite eager to establish herself as an artist who is raring to push the envelope. From being the fashionista Poo to playing a grieving cop in ‘The Buckingham Murders’ with a zero make-up look, showcases her evolution as an actor.

Kareena Kapoor in the poster of Chameli. (Photo: IMDb)If someone can really be comfortable in her skin, it’s Kareena. Look at those hundreds of videos posted by paps that capture her in pyjamas with hair tied in a bun and casually stepping out of her home with her children. Yet, if the occasion merits it, she dresses up as the showstopper that she is known to be for years. Similarly, Kareena is comfortable being the mainstream star that she has always been while willing to go that extra mile if she gets a role that she can sink her teeth into.