Keeping up with Kareena Kapoor Khan: A masterclass in longevity

It was in 2000 when Kareena Kapoor made her acting debut with Refugee alongside Abhishek Bachchan. At the time, Kapoor was the fourth generation of Bollywood actors from the first family to enter showbiz. She was confident that the film would be a huge success. At the music launch of the film, director JP Dutta was asked to describe his decision to work with the two actors who hail from big film families. "Quality investment interest," he'd replied. Little did he know that while the film wouldn't perform as well, his answer would still provide a long-standing definition of Kapoor's trajectory in films.

At 44, Kapoor continues to rule the film and fashion world like no other. Amidst the growing trend of releasing old films in theatres, a week-long film festival celebrating the prowess of Kapoorhas also been announced. It will run till September 27 in over 30 cinema halls in 15 cities. But this year alone, Kapoor has had two film releases - Crew in March and The Buckingham Murders in September. While Crew saw her as a glamorous flight attendant Jasmine Kohli who gets involved in a gold smuggling operation, Kapoor turned into Jasmeet Bhamra, a grieving detective who is assigned the case of a murdered child in her second film of 2024. The latter also marked Kapoor's debut as a film producer.

In the 2023 film Jaane Jaan, Kapoor played the role of Maya D'Souza, a single mother involved in a murder case. The film was an adaptation of the 2005 Japanese novel, The Devotion of Suspect X. Two of her three recent films portray Kapoor as a mother, a choice she has also made earlier in films like Kurbaan, We Are Family, Ra One and Laal Singh Chaddha among others. But each film brings out a different facet of motherhood.

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Over the years, Kapoor has delivered projects that define her stardom but also reflect her acting range. Whether it's Poo in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham or Geet in Jab We Met or Tina in Talaash: The Hunt Begins or Chameli in Chameli or Dolly Mishra in Omkara, the actor in the 'star' has made it to the screen on multiple occasions.

Her screen spectacles, however, make only a part of her horizon. A glance at her Instagram bio and you'd know that Kapoor is expanding her base - she is an investorand co-owner of Quench Botanics, a brand bringing Korean skincare for Indian skin. She is also the co-owner of Indian Street Premier League team Tigers of Kolkata. As per Fortune India 2024, Kapoor is the highest tax-paying female celebrity in India. This essentially means that Kapoor, with her films, endorsements and business ventures, has paid a massive amount in taxes.

Kapoor has often talked about how she's secure in her skin, confident about her craft and grateful for everything that's come her way - both personally and professionally. With three boys on her side - husband Saif Ali Khan and two sons Taimur and Jeh, Kapoor is shattering stereotypes and breaking barriers. In an industry that has largely been male-dominated, Kapoor's relevance speaks volumes. It's believed that a Friday can make or break someone's confidence in showbiz, but throughout her journey of 25 years (and still counting), Kapoor, in her own words, has made confidence her biggest asset and ammunition. The box office numbers may go up and down, but Kapoor's confidence remained a draw.

She asked for equal pay as her male counterpart at a media event, didn't shy away from flaunting her baby bump on fashion runways, defied the norms and got married at the peak of her career and glamourised the familial life simply by living it. It's also her authentic style that contributes to her longevity. She may be spotted in an oiled-up bun one moment, and flaunting the most exquisite piece of fashion immediately after, but appears to be equally confident in both. This is perhaps why she perfectly embodied the spirit of a modern-day bride in Indian designer Masaba's imagination.

The Good Newwzactor is followed by over 12 million users on Instagram - where she often shares glimpses of her personal life with witty captions. But she hasn't always been public about her personal life, not until she made her debut on the photo-sharing platform in 2020. With the over-glossy nature of social media, Kapoor's relaxed and candid moments often stand out from the clutter. Case in point - her professional photoshoots being photobombed by her son or the ever-relatable struggle to get that one picture-perfect family photo.

An advocate of self-love, both onscreen and off it, Kapoor's 'mai apni favourite hoon' vibe is a mantra that she and her fans swear by. In many of her interviews, both old and new, Kapoor has expressed her love and passion towards acting."I want a career like the late Zohra Sehgal’s. At the age of 80, I want to be in front of camera,” she once said. Notably, one of her recent outfit choices to mark 25 years in Hindi cinema, also embodied a similar sentiment. The actor wore an outfit designed by Amit Aggarwal - a Benarasi saree made by restoring the textile through pleating, without cutting the actual saree. In a way, the reimagination of the timeless garment is resounding with Kapoor adapting and excelling in the changing times.