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Exploring 10 years journey of Kareena Kapoor – Part III

en Bollywood News Exploring 10 years journey of Kareena Kapoor – Part III

Kareena Kapoor

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.


In this three part feature, here is looking at some of the many highlights in her career that have made Kareena what she is today.


In the concluding Part III of the feature, we would be going through the hit run that Kareena enjoyed, the entire attention that she received post her Size-Zero days and the top position that she enjoys post the all time blockbuster success of 3 Idiots.


The hit run begins


Going back into the past, the little break that Kareena took in sorting out her career did work well after all. With critical acclaim coming her way after Chameli, Yuva and Dev, she returned to do mainstream cinema. This saw a flurry of successes coming her way with Aitraaz, Hulchul and Bewafaa doing well. Incidentally, she didn't hesitate playing the role of a married woman in Aitraaz and Hulchul. Also she had strong competition from Priyanka Chopra in Aitraaz who had an author backed role. Still, she did play her part of a lawyer quite well in the film and ensured that she had a hit under her belt. In Hulchul, she was the sole leading lady in a film dominated by men and was a welcome relief. Bewafa took one of the best openings of those times and even though it didn't quite go the whole hog, the star power of Kareena wasn't to be ignored any more.

Exploring 10 years journey of Kareena Kapoor – Part III

Kareena Kapoor

She went on to do more films with Akshay Kumar, someone with whom she has been paired the maximum number of times. Her Dosti - Friends Forever just managed to pass muster while Kyun Ki, where she was paired with Salman Khan for the first time ever, flopped. Yet again, this was the classic case of a film where the product was challenged but not her acting capabilities. Coming up with a bravura performance, Kareena was hailed by critics but the box office success was a little distance away. In this period
of uncertainty she agreed to do a special appearance in Shah Rukh Khan's Don - The Chase Begins Again and reaped in benefits that came out of her dance number 'Yeh Mera Dil' which was earlier immortalised by Helen.


However, change was the name of the game and she agreed to be a part of Omkara, a film where she had a central role to play. As someone who was killed by the very man (Ajay Devgn) who loved her most, Kareena came up with one of the most sensitive and defining performances of her career. This Vishal Bhardwaj directed film wasn't a big hit then but has gained a cult status for itself over the years gone by.


With the tag of a dependable actor continuing to dangle around her neck, Kareena went on to do something really outlandish and over the top in Tashan.

The KS factor - Kareena's style

Kareena Kapoor

Aiming to bring in a different way that leading ladies were being looked at as, she brought the concept of 'Size Zero' in Bollywood. Really, if ever there was a style statement finding so much public attention for itself in the current decade, it was 'Size Zero' that Kareena brought to fore. As it happens with everything which is new, there was fair share of criticism that came Kareena's way once her thin pencil like figure was put on display in Tashan. There were bouquets as well as brickbats coming her way, accolades followed by debates and headlines that screamed foul but the point was made - Kareena had found herself on the top of every media forum all over again.


Despite the fact that Tashan as a film didn't do much for it's actors, it did help Kareena get into limelight in a big way. The follow up success of Golmaal Returns only helped the cause further with the film gaining tremendously from her star value. The highest grosser ever in Kareena's career after 3 Idiots, Golmaal Returns worked well for Kareena as she could afford to let her hair down in this laugh-a-minute entertainer.


Meanwhile she decided to balance realistic cinema with some totally glam affair. While the style statement continued with Kambakkht Ishq, she balanced it all with a Kurbaan. In the former she wore only designer outfits, in the latter she picked up clothes from a regular shopping mall. In the former she had everything over the top, in the latter she kept it all subtle. In the former she had songs and dances to keep her glam image alive; in the latter she appeared backless for a defining moment in the film. She was having fun in the former; the latter had her pining great hopes from the final outcome. The former turned out to be an average success; the latter was a heart wrenching failure.


In the midst of this all, she also did Main Aurr Mrs Khanna but it was truly a film which an actor does in her career as a favour to help out friends. Surprisingly, even though Salman Khan (for whom this was a home production) sleep walked through the film, it was Kareena who was left unscathed because she yet again had her acting capabilities in display despite a half cooked plot. She thankfully compensated it all with 3 Idiots which
turned out to be a historic event in the making.

Life post 3 Idiots

Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor has herself admitted that despite a short role in the film, she would have been naïve enough to let it go for this very factor. She understood that combination of Aamir Khan, Raj Kumar Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and a powerful script was hardly something that she could let go by even though it wasn't a heroine focused film. Willing to be a part of the history and adding a quality outing to her repertoire, Kareena willingly
stepped into 3 Idiots which stays on to be the biggest money spinner ever produced out of Bollywood. A Rs. 200 crores plus outing means that it would take a massive film to even reach near this mark. It also means that for the biggest of the makers, Kareena has stayed on to be the top choice, something which is evident in the line up that she has.


Believe it or not but Kareena has never been busier as she is today. While three of her biggies are on floors, there is fourth waiting to release and fifth in the making. Also, there are talks about her having signed at least a couple of more biggies that would keep her date diaries occupied till end of next year at the least. We Are Family (remake of Stepmom) is a Karan Johar production which is already running in theatres. She would be reuniting with the producer again for her film with Imran Khan. Madhur Bhandarkar is giving final touches to the script of Heroine where Kareena would be seen in an author backed role. Meanwhile, after wrapping up a major portion of Shah Rukh Khan starrer Ra. One, she is also globe trotting for hubby Saif Ali Khan's Agent Vinod. And then there is Golmaal 3 for which she would soon be beginning promotion.


Well, that's what star power is, something which a certain Salman Khan would also agree. Just like he comes up with smash hit film that makes one forget the turkeys from the past, Kareena Kapoor has been dominating the Bollywood scene for a decade, and how. All is forgotten once she comes up with a smash box office success. No wonder, there hasn't been a dearth of offers from the biggest of filmmakers even as she would be touching 30 years of age this month. With half a dozen films in the making and many more waiting to happen, Kareena is fast gaining a diva status for herself, something that
makes her stand out amidst the crowd.

Click here to read the I & II part of this feature


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