Red Sea Film Festival 2024: Kareena Kapoor Khan Talks Family, Career Evolution, and Motherhood

Kareena Kapoor Khan, one of Bollywood’s most beloved and successful actresses, graced the 2024 Red Sea Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where she shared candid reflections on her career, family, and personal growth. In a wide-ranging conversation, the star discussed everything from her iconic roles in films like Aśoka (2001) and Jab We Met (2007), to the profound impact motherhood has had on her life and career.

Opening up about the importance of family, Kareena emphasized how central her parents and her sister have been in her journey. “In India, family is the most powerful and purest form of any being — like in Saudi Arabia, we love our family and we take support from them. I would not be where I am without my parents and my darling sister Karisma Kapoor,” she said.

Reflecting on her filmography, Kareena spoke fondly of Aśoka, the epic where she starred opposite Shah Rukh Khan. “Asoka is such a special film. Who would’ve thought people would still be doing their makeup on ‘San Sanana’ and it would become a viral trend? It’s one of my most favorite movies,” she recalled, referring to the lasting impact the film’s music has had on pop culture.

Kareena also spoke about how her approach to acting has evolved over the years. “Today the kind of fun I’m having with my characters is very different. If you love your job, it’s like oxygen… it just happens naturally. Acting is my oxygen; I just love doing it,” she explained. 

"In these changing times of the film industry back home in India, it’s important for us actors to explore different kinds of roles. There are a lot of important stories to tell, and it’s up to the actor to take on the responsibility to tell these stories,” she noted. As her career matures, the actor disclosed what she’s drawn to, “I’m at a stage in my career where I’m really looking to explore the artist in me but also the person in me. The Buckingham Murders gave me a chance to be so bare on-screen — that’s why I also produced it,” she said.

Another defining moment in Kapoor Khan’s career came with Jab We Met, where her portrayal of Geet became a defining moment for female characters in Indian cinema. “I don’t think Imtiaz Ali realised that Jab We Met would become such a benchmark to how female characters are told. Every single girl connected to her for the zest she had — because I think there is Geet hidden in every girl I’ve met. I honestly never thought people would be talking about this character two decades later!” she said. Despite frequent fan requests for a sequel, Kapoor Khan remains firm that some things cannot be replicated. “Films are just about energies aligning — something happens — and the constellation just forms. You can’t plan a Jab We Met 2… some plans just don’t happen.”

Known for her strong connection with her fans, Kapoor Khan also expressed her affection for the nickname “Bebo,” given to her by her parents. “I love it when my fans call me Bebo. It’s a name given to me by my parents. I like that feeling when my fans from around the world call me that because it’s a way of showing so much love,” she said with warmth.

On a more personal note, Kareena also opened up about the transformative experience of motherhood. “Motherhood has been the greatest revelation and joy of my life. I’m a mother first and then an actor,” she shared. Becoming a mother to two boys has not only been life-changing, but has also impacted her approach to acting. “I feel my boys have made me a better actor somehow. There’s a lot more sensitivity and patience in me now,” she explained. However, she humorously added that her children are not yet allowed to watch some of her iconic films. “Being a mother is not easy. They have not watched Jab We Met and K3G because they aren’t allowed so much screen time,” she said, laughing.