Product Code Database
Karisma Kapoor (; born 25 June 1974) is an Indian actress who primarily appears in Hindi films. One of the leading and highest-paid actresses of the 1990s, Kapoor is a recipient of several accolades, including a National Film Award and four Filmfare Awards.
A part of the Kapoor family, Kapoor was born to actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita. She made her acting debut with a leading role in the moderately successful Prem Qaidi (1991). She went on to star in box office hits such as the dramas Jigar (1992) and Anari (1993), the comedies Raja Babu (1994), Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995) and Saajan Chale Sasural (1996), and the thriller Jeet (1996). The 1996 blockbuster romance Raja Hindustani marked a turning point in Kapoor's career, earning her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She later won the National Film Award and Filmfare Award for her role as a passionate dancer in the musical romance Dil To Pagal Hai (1997). Kapoor achieved further success by featuring as the female in three David Dhawan's successful romantic comedies— Hero No.1 (1997), Biwi No.1 (1999), and Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge (2000) and in Sooraj Barjatya's highly successful family drama Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999). She won the Filmfare Best Actress and Best Actress Critics awards at Filmfare for her titular roles in the dramas Fiza (2000) and Zubeidaa (2001).
Kapoor took a sabbatical from full-time acting in 2004 and has since appeared sporadically, including the web series Mentalhood (2020) and the mystery thriller Murder Mubarak (2024). She also played the titular character in the television series (2003–2004) and has served as a judge on several reality shows.
Kapoor was married to businessman Sunjay Kapur from 2003–2016; the couple had two children. Her personal life has been extensively covered in the media. In addition to acting, Kapoor participates in stage shows and is a prominent celebrity endorser.
Kapoor is informally called as "Lolo" at her home. According to Kapoor, the name Lolo was derived after her mother made a passing reference to the Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida. Her paternal and maternal grandparents were from Peshawar, Lyallpur and Karachi respectively, who moved to Bombay for their film careers before the partition of India. Flashback at 90: A Kapoor daughter recalls family's filmy journey from Peshawar to the pinnacle, Hindustan Times, 18 December 2018. Kapoor is of Punjabis descent on her father's side, and on her mother's side she is of Sindhis and British people descent.
Particularly inspired by the work of actresses Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit, Kapoor was keen on pursuing acting since childhood. While growing up, Kapoor regularly attended award ceremonies and accompanied her parents to film sets. However, despite her family background, her father disapproved of women working in films, because he believed it conflicted with the traditional maternal duties and responsibility of women in the family. This led to a conflict between her parents and they separated in 1988. She and her sister Kareena were raised by their mother, who worked several jobs to raise them, until she made her debut in films as an actress. The couple reconciled in 2007, after living separately for several years. Kapoor studied at the Cathedral and John Connon School, Mumbai, and later, for a few months, at Sophia College for Women, Mumbai. Kapoor later said that she left college to pursue acting for financial support.
Kapoor's next four releases of 1993 were the dramas Muqabla (which marked first of her many collaborations with Govinda), Sangraam, Shaktiman and Dhanwaan. With the exception of Muqabla, none of these films performed well either critically or commercially. In 1994, Kapoor had nine film releases – four of them — Prem Shakti, Dulaara, Andaz and — were critical and commercial failures. Her first hit that year was David Dhawan's comedy film Raja Babu, opposite Govinda, in which she played Madhubala, an educated arrogant girl who calls off her engagement upon discovering her fiancée's illiteracy. Kapoor next played the blind wife of Govinda's character in the hit action drama Khuddar, following which she starred with Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Raveena Tandon in Rajkumar Santoshi's acclaimed comedy film Andaz Apna Apna. Kapoor played Raveena Bajaj, the daughter of a London-based business tycoon, who travels to India in search of true love, and falls for Salman Khan character. Although the film underperformed at the box office, it developed a significant cult following over the years since its release.
Kapoor's final two releases of the year were the action drama Suhaag (alongside Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar and Nagma) and the comedy-drama Gopi Kishan (alongside Suniel Shetty and Shilpa Shirodkar), both of which were critically and commercially successful. In the former, she starred as a college student and Devgn's love interest, while in the latter, she played a police commissioner's daughter who falls in love with a criminal. In 1995, after appearing in the box office flops Jawab and Maidan-E-Jung, Kapoor starred as Malti, a rich girl who marries a poor coolie (played by Govinda) in David Dhawan's blockbuster comedy film Coolie No. 1. The film garnered positive reviews and emerged as a commercial success, grossing in India. It later gained a cult following. On her initial career struggle, she later said:
When I first entered the industry, things were made tough for me. I am not saying that I was singled out. I think every star kid has to go through this. Everyone was so unfair to me. Other newcomers were praised for every little achievement, but I was not given an iota of acknowledgement. When it came to me, it was always, 'Okay, she has done well, but what's the big deal about her?'. Nobody gave a 17-year-old credit for doing my job reasonably well.
That same year, Kapoor starred in Dharmesh Darshan's romantic drama Raja Hindustani opposite Aamir Khan, in which she played a rich, beautiful heiress who falls for a lowly guide and driver. A modern-day remake of Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965), the film emerged as the highest-grossing film of the year and won Kapoor her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Reviewing her performance for India Today, Anupama Chopra described Kapoor as a "revelation" and "the lifeblood of this otherwise banal film." The film's success established Kapoor as a leading actress of Hindi cinema, and marked a significant turning point in her career. Raja Hindustani was not only the biggest commercial success of 1996, but also one of the most successful films of all time in India with worldwide revenues of . Kapoor's final release of 1996 was Suneel Darshan's action film Ajay, with Sunny Deol. The film was also a financial success.
In 1997, Kapoor re-united with David Dhawan for two projects, the comedy film Judwaa (alongside Salman Khan and Rambha), and the romantic comedy Hero No. 1 (opposite Govinda). The former's concept was similar to Gopi Kishan – it tells the story of twin brothers who are separated at birth and re-unite in their youth. Kapoor and Rambha played the love interests of Khan's characters. In Hero No. 1, she played Meena Nath, a girl who falls in love with Govinda's character despite facing disapproval from her strict grandfather (played by Paresh Rawal). Both films were critically and commercially successful, and Kapoor gained praise for her comedic timing. She eventually received a nomination for the Zee Cine Award for Best Actress for Hero No. 1. She next starred in the Mehul Kumar-directed dramas Lahu Ke Do Rang and Mrityudata, both of which were critical and commercial failures.
Kapoor's fifth and final release of 1997 was Yash Chopra's musical romantic drama Dil To Pagal Hai. Co-starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Akshay Kumar, the film depicts the love lives of the cast and crew in a musical dance troupe. Kapoor played Nisha, a bubbly dancer who secretly falls in love with her best friend (played by Khan), who unites with the girl he loves (played by Dixit). Initially hesitant to take on the supporting role, Kapoor was cast by Chopra (who was impressed by her work in Raja Hindustani) after several leading actresses of the time had rejected it. Dil To Pagal Hai emerged as a blockbuster at the box office and proved to be the highest-grossing film of the year. Kapoor received widespread praise for her portrayal, and she eventually won the National Film Award and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Kapoor's diminutive comeback in 1999 proved to be good as she took part in the year's most successful films. Kapoor starred in four hits. She next re-united with Dhawan and Salman Khan (alongside Sushmita Sen) for the romantic comedy Biwi No.1, in which she portrayed Pooja, a woman whose husband gets involved in an extra-marital affair with a model. The film, which emerged as a major commercial success, earned Kapoor critical praise for her performance. Kapoor received a second Best Actress nomination at Filmfare for her work in the film. She proved to be successful with comedy films, as another of David Dhawan's films Haseena Maan Jaayegi, did fairly well at the box office. Kapoor collaborated for the first time with the Rajshri Productions for the family drama , opposite Saif Ali Khan. The film featured an ensemble cast (Mohnish Behl, Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre and Tabu), proving to be one of the biggest Hindi film successes of all time in the market, earning worldwide. Alok Kumar stated, "Karisma doesn't have much to do, but looks good in doing whatever she does." Her last release of the year, Jaanwar, opposite Akshay Kumar, was another box office hit, making her the most successful actress of the year. Silsila Hai Pyar Ka was her other film of the year.
Kapoor's first release of 2000 was Dhawan's romantic comedy Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge, opposite Salman Khan. She played Sapna, a girl who falls for Khan's character while on a foreign trip, however, she finds it tough to convince her three uncles of this relationship. The film finished up as one of the biggest hits of the year. Aparajita Saha of Rediff commented: "Karisma Kapoor and Salman Khan elicit more than their fair share of cat-calls in the movie and make a delectable pair. Both are in form – Karisma kapoor looks glamorous and at ease while Salman khan has perfected the lost-boy-muscle-man get-up". Kapoor's next two releases, the romantic comedies Chal Mere Bhai (opposite Khan and Dutt) and Hum To Mohabbat Karega (opposite Bobby Deol) failed to do well at the box office.
That same year, Kapoor won her second Filmfare Award for Best Actress, for portraying the title role of a disillusioned girl in search of her brother, in Khalid Mohammed's acclaimed crime drama Fiza. Cast against type in a non-glamorous role, her performance was highly applauded, several critics noted her for showing great emotional range and depth. Mimmy Jain of The Indian Express, in a positive review, wrote: "As the young girl who is sick of the suspense and disruption that her brother's disappearance has caused in her family's life, as the obstinate daughter who will not listen to her mother's plea to let her keep hoping for her son, as the determined sister who keeps on in her hunt for her brother despite all odds and then seeks to keep him on the right path, this is a new Karisma, and one that delivers a superbly flawless performance." The film emerged as a "semi-hit" at the box office with a worldwide gross of .
In 2002, Kapoor had three film releases, the first of which was the romantic drama Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya, opposite Akshay Kumar and Abhishek Bachchan. She next starred alongside Nana Patekar in the Gynocentrism drama , playing the role of Nandini, a woman who wants to escape from her in-laws (involved in feudal gang wars) along with her son, after her husband's death. The film, a remake of the Telugu language film Antahpuram (1998), was itself based on the life of author Betty Mahmoody. Shakti: The Power was critically acclaimed and also earned Kapoor highly positive reviews for her portrayal – Taran Adarsh reviewed: "The power clearly belongs to Kapoor. Breathing fire and venom to win back her son from the clutches of a despot, the actress gives it all to the character of a helpless mother and proves what a virtuoso performer she is. Playing the part of a wounded tigress, this is one performance that overshadows all the performances the year has seen so far". Kapoor's work in the film earned her Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies, including a fifth nomination at Filmfare. Her final release that year was Indra Kumar's romantic drama Rishtey, alongside Anil Kapoor and Shilpa Shetty. She featured as Komal, a wealthy woman who falls in love with a poorer man and marries him against her father's wishes. Despite much anticipation, Kapoor's all three releases that year underperformed at the box office.
In 2003, she starred in opposite Dino Morea, which was her only release that year. The film performed poorly at the box-office. Later in the same year, she made her television debut in the Sahara One soap opera Karishma – The Miracles of Destiny, in which she played a dual role of a grandmother and granddaughter. The serial ended after 260 episodes in 2004 and she took a sabbatical from full-time acting for several years.
In 2006, Kapoor was seen in Mere Jeevan Saathi – the film had been shot and completed in 2003, but was delayed for three years. She played the role of an obsessive lover opposite Akshay Kumar and the film became a box office bomb. In 2008, she first judged Aaja Mahi Vay and later alongside actor Arjun Rampal and director–choreographer Farah Khan, Kapoor began judging season four of the dance show Nach Baliye, and continued the following year with the comedy show Hans Baliye. In addition to this, she had a cameo in the song "Deewangi Deewangi" from the 2007 melodrama Om Shanti Om, and in 2008, was as a guest on the reality television show Wife Bina Life (2010). In 2011, Kapoor voiced sister Kareena Kapoor's character in the film Bodyguard.
In 2018, Kapoor made a special appearance in the Aanand L. Rai-directed romantic comedy Zero. Kapoor made her web debut with Ekta Kapoor's Mentalhood that released on ALTBalaji in 2020. The series revolves around different natures of mothers and showcases how they try their best to raise their children. Karishma Kapoor to make her digital debut with Ekta Kapoor's new series titled 'Mentalhood' India Today Retrieved 29 August 2021 Devansh Sharma of Firstpost opined, "One gradually warms up to Karisma in Mentalhood. Not at any point does she attempt to steal the spotlight, and blends well into the stellar ensemble the show offers." Mentalhood review: Karisma Kapoor, Tillotama Shome shine in this show that's curiously similar to Big Little Lies Firstpost Retrieved 22 March 2020
In 2024, Kapoor made her comeback to films, with Homi Adajania's mystery-thriller, Murder Mubarak, portraying a sophisticated actress. Pratikshya Mishra from The Quint praised her for playing an "elusive star" and noted, "The tragedy evident in her characterisation comes through purely because of how expressive her eyes can be." She received the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Web Original Film – Female nomination for the film. Later that year, she made her comeback to television as a judge on India's Best Dancer 4.
Kapoor has completed her second web series, Brown. She will also appear in the unscripted variety series, Dining With The Kapoors.
On 29 September 2003, she married industrialist Sunjay Kapur, the CEO of Sixt India, in a high-profile Anand Karaj ceremony at her ancestral home, Krishna Raj Bungalow, in Mumbai. The couple has a daughter, Samaira, born on 11 March 2005 and a son, Kiaan, born on 12 March 2010. In 2014, the couple filed for divorce through mutual consent. In November 2015, the couple had filed applications to withdraw their consent to it. The couple's divorce was finalised in 2016.
In 2016, Karisma Kapoor filed a domestic violence case against Sunjay Kapur and his mother, accusing them of physical abuse and claiming Sunjay was involved with another woman. She also filed a dowry harassment case, leading to a summons for Sunjay by the Mumbai police. The couple was already locked in a bitter divorce and custody battle.
In 2024, Karisma further accused Sunjay of domestic abuse in her divorce plea, alleging that during their honeymoon, he tried to force her to have sex with his friends. She also claimed that Sunjay once told his mother to slap her when she couldn't fit into a dress while pregnant.
On taking a break from her acting career for her kids and family, Kapoor said, it was a "conscious decision". She further said,
Kapoor has been part of several stage shows and world tours since the '90s. The Heartthrobs: Live in Concert was performed across the United States and Canada alongside Arjun Rampal, Hrithik Roshan, Kareena Kapoor and Aftab Shivdasani. In 2016, she participated in the Hiru Golden Film Awards in Sri Lanka as a special guest along with several other Bollywood actors, including Neil Nitin Mukesh, Suniel Shetty (Sunil Shetty), Jackie Shroff, Sridevi, and Madhuri Dixit. In addition to acting and philanthropy, Kapoor has been a celebrity endorser for several brands, including Kellogg's, Crescent Lawn, Admix Retail, Danone and Garnier. Kapoor has also walked the runway for such designers as Manish Malhotra, Arpita Mehta, and Vikram Phadnis.
Kapoor is a shareholder in the children's product company Babyoye.com, an ecommerce startup specialising in selling infant- and mother-care products. In 2013, she wrote a book "My Yummy Mummy Guide: From Getting Pregnant to losing all the weight and beyond", a guide to motherhood filled with post pregnancy tips for women.
Deven Sharma of Filmfare termed Kapoor "a force to reckon with commercially", and noted, "Karisma Kapoor was a strong contender to both Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi’s domination to the ’90s." She has been described by The Tribune as "possessing exuberance and energy". The Times of India termed her "inimitable" due to her body of work and the essence that she brought into movies in the 90s. Nikita Sawant of Femina feels Kapoor embodies the statement, "Some people get better with age". Rediff.com said that Kapoor did everything from "raunchy numbers" to "serious roles". It credited her serious roles as the factor that consolidated her position as an "established actress". In an interview, Kapoor said,
Kapoor's sister Kareena Kapoor admits, "Working with Lolo will be a dream come true. She was and will always be my favorite actress." According to Rediff.com, she became "choosy about her roles" post a slew of out-and-out commercial films. NDTV termed her "The OG Bollywood Queen". Filmfare terms her as one of the "most celebrated stars" in the Hindi film industry. The Hindu said that she is blessed with "a radiant look and an enviable figure". Kapoor is widely praised for her performance in Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai, Biwi No.1, Fiza, Zubeidaa and Shakti: The Power. Eastern Eye noted that Kapoor's filmography is filled with "an array of successful films". In 2022 and 2023, Kapoor was voted "Sexiest Actress Alive" by the Glamour Magazine. She was placed 4th in The Times of Indias "50 Beautiful Faces" list. Kapoor's hand-print was unveiled at the Walk of the Stars at Bandra Bandstand. She is also known for her significant fashion and style statements throughout the 90s. In 2002, she received the Smita Patil Memorial Award for Best Actress, for her contribution to Indian cinema. In 2023, Kapoor received the Indian Achievers Award for Power Corridors by the Government of India. Kapoor ranks among the highest-grossing actresses in Indian cinema.
|
|
