Bollywood Super Heroine Kareena Kapoor

Kareena Kapoor (born 21 September 1980), also known as Kareena Kapoor Khan, is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. 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 dramas to comedies—Kapoor has received six Filmfare Awards, and has established herself as a leading actress of Hindi cinema.

After making her acting debut in the 2000 war drama Refugee, Kapoor's early years in the film industry were successful; she received a Filmfare nomination for Asoka (2001) and appeared in the melodrama Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... the same year, one of her biggest commercial successes to date. This was followed by a series of commercial failures and repetitive roles, which garnered her negative reviews. She portrayed a sex worker in Chameli (2004), the turning point in her career, and starred in the critically acclaimed films Dev (2004) and Omkara (2006). Kapoor played the lead female role in the romantic comedy Jab We Met (2007, which earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress) and the dramedy 3 Idiots (2009, the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time).

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.

The following year, Kapoor played the role of a carefree young woman, Riana Braganza, in Shakun Batra's directorial debut Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012) with Imran Khan. Produced by Dharma Productions, the romantic comedy is set in Las Vegas and tells the story of two strangers who get married one night after getting drunk. In an interview with The Times of India, Kapoor explained that she was drawn to her character's qualities: "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." The film received positive reviews and was an economic success, grossing a total of 530 million (US$9.7 million) in India and abroad. The Hollywood Reporter found her "endearingly natural"; 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." Her next appearance was in Agent Vinod, an espionage thriller directed by Sriram Raghavan. Kapoor was enthusiastic about the project, but it met with a tepid response and she was described as miscast. When asked why she had taken the role, Kapoor described it as an opportunity to attempt something she had never done before.

For her next feature, Kapoor was cast as the protagonist of Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine, a drama revolving around the Bollywood film industry. Originally the first choice for the role, Kapoor was hesitant to take on the project when Bhandarkar approached her with the film's initial concept. With reservations about the criticism her character might evoke, she was replaced by Aishwarya Rai. Days after production began, Rai left the film (due to her pregnancy) and Bhandarkar re-approached Kapoor with the film. When the director reinforced his faith in her, she agreed to do the film after receiving the completed script. Kapoor (who described her character of Mahi Arora—a fading star—as "bipolar and schizophrenic") refrained from taking on any other projects, since she found Heroine "very aggressive and tiring". Bollywood Hungama observed it as her best work to date noting that "[t]hough her character is inconsistent [...] Kareena furnishes the heroine's character with a rare vulnerability and an exceptional inner life." She later received Best Actress nominations at the annual Apsara, Filmfare, Screen and Stardust Award ceremonies.

Following the release of Heroine, Kapoor married actor Saif Ali Khan on 16 October 2012.

Described as India's "wedding and social event of the year" in Rupa Subramanya's blog at The Wall Street Journal, the wedding consisted of a five-day celebration period beginning with a pre-wedding bash at Kapoor's residence followed by a registered marriage in the presence of family and close friends. A reception was later held at the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel in Mumbai and the Lutyens Bungalow Zone in Delhi.

At the end of the year, she co-starred alongside Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji as the "tantalisingly seductive prostitute" Rosie, in Reema Kagti's crime mystery Talaash: The Answer Lies Within. Set against the backdrop of Mumbai's red-light districts, it follows the travails of its personnel and principal, Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Khan) who is assigned the duty of solving a mysterious car accident. The film generated predominantly positive reviews with Kapoor being praised in particular. The Telegraph described her performance as "naughty [and] nonchalan[t]," played with "an unseen mix of oomph and emotion that becomes the [film's] centrepiece". Talaash eventually emerged as a financial success with global revenues of 1.74 billion (US$32 million). In February 2013, Kapoor commenced filming for two projects: Prakash Jha's political drama Satyagraha and Punit Malhotra's romantic comedy Gori Tere Pyaar Mein.