Kareena Kapoor ( born 21 September 1980), also known as Kareena Kapoor Khan, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywoodfilms. She is the daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, and the younger sister of actress Karisma Kapoor. Noted for playing a variety of characters in a range of film genres—from contemporary romantic comedies to crime dramas—Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, and has established herself as one ofBollywood's highest-paid actresses.^[1][2]

After making her acting debut in the 2000 war drama Refugee, Kapoor's early years in the film industry were fairly successful; she received recognition for portraying Kaurwaki in the 2001 historical drama Asoka and appeared in the blockbuster melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... that same year. This initial success was followed by a series of commercial failures and repetitive roles, which garnered her negative reviews. The year 2004 marked a turning point for her when she played against type in the role of a sex worker in the drama Chameli. She subsequently received praise from critics for her portrayal of a riot victim in the 2004 drama Dev and a character based on William Shakespeare's heroine Desdemona in the 2006 crime film Omkara.

By 2007, Kapoor had established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema with a primary role in the romantic comedy Jab We Met, for which she was awarded the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She achieved further success by featuring as the female lead in four of India's top-grossing productions—the 2009 dramedy 3 Idiots, the 2010 comedy Golmaal 3, the 2011 romantic drama Bodyguard, and the 2011 science fiction Ra.One—and earned critical acclaim for her performances in the 2009 thriller Kurbaan and the 2012 drama Heroine.

Married to actor Saif Ali Khan, Kapoor's off-screen life is the subject of widespread coverage in India. She is known in the Indian media for being publicly outspoken and assertive, and is recognised for her contributions to the film industry through her fashion style and film roles. In addition to film acting, Kapoor is a stage performer and has contributed as a co-author to three books: an autobiographical memoir, and two nutrition guides. She has also launched her own clothing line in association with the retail chain Globus.

Born into a film family in Mumbai on 21 September 1980, Kapoor (often informally referred to as 'Bebo')^[4] is the younger daughter of Randhir Kapoor and Babita (néeShivdasani);^[5] her elder sister Karisma is also an actress. 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.^[6] She is of Punjabi descent on her father's side,^[7] and Sindhi on her mother's side.^[8]

Describing herself as a "very naughty [and] spoilt child", Kapoor's exposure to films from a young age kindled her interest in acting;^[3] she was particularly inspired by the work of actresses Nargis and Meena Kumari.^[9] Despite her family background, her father disapproved of women entering films because he believed it conflicted with the traditional maternal duties and responsibility of women in the family.^[10] This led to a conflict between her parents, and they separated.^[11] She was then raised by her mother, who worked several jobs to support her daughters until Karisma debuted as an actress in 1991.^[12] After living separately for several years, her parents reconciled in October 2007.^[11] Kapoor remarked "My father is also an important factor in my life [...] [Al]though we did not see him often in our initial years, we are a family now."^[12]

Kapoor attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, followed by Welham Girls' School in Dehradun.^[9] She attended the institution primarily to satisfy her mother, though later admitted to liking the experience.^[3] According to Kapoor, she was a good student and received first-class honours in all subjects except mathematics.^[3] After graduating from Welham she studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College in Vile Parle (Mumbai).^[9] Kapoor then registered for a three-month summer course in microcomputers at Harvard University in the United States.^[9] She later developed an interest in law, and enrolled at the Government Law College, Mumbai; during this period, she developed a long-lasting passion for reading.^[9] However, after completing her first year, Kapoor decided to pursue her interest to become an actress.^[13] She began training at an acting institute in Mumbai mentored by Kishore Namit Kapoor, a member of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).^[14]

While training at the institute, Kapoor was cast as the female lead in Rakesh Roshan's Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai (2000) opposite his son, Hrithik Roshan.^[9] Several days into the filming, however, she abandoned the project; Kapoor later explained that she had benefited by not doing the film since more prominence was given to the director's son.^[9] She debuted later that year alongside Abhishek Bachchan in J. P. Dutta's war drama Refugee. 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 Bachchan's character 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."^[15] On the experience of acting in her first film, Kapoor described it as "tough ... [but] also a great learning experience".^[9] Refugee was a moderate box-office success in India^[16] and Kapoor's performance earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.^[17]