25 years of Kareena Kapoor Khan: 5 roles that prove there's no genre she can't rule

Hindustan Times

15 hours ago

Kareena Kapoor Khan made her Bollywood debut with Refugee, released on June 30, 2000, and since then there has been no turning back for the star. Over the past quarter of a century, she has performed a wide variety of roles, from mainstream performers to quirky character-driven pieces, and she has worked across genres to accommodate shifting tastes. To celebrate the actor's 25 years in Hindi cinema, we should look back at her films to see how she has changed and grown over the years. Kareena Kapoor Khan
Watch Kareena Kapoor Khan shine in Jab We Met, Chameli, and Aitraaz—now streaming on OTTplay Premium.
Enjoy five films starring Kareena Kapoor Khan that you can watch on OTTplay Premium. These films span her career from her experimental work in the early 2000s to her legendary performances that have left a lasting impact. Kareena Kapoor Khan films to stream on OTTplay Premium
Jab We Met
Many consider Kareena Kapoor Khan's role in Imtiaz Ali's romantic comedy as the pivotal moment in her career. The actor added vulnerability and wit to her portrayal of Geet Dhillon, a young woman from Bhatinda known for her vivacious and unabashedly loud personality. A love story, Jab We Met is also a story of self-discovery for its protagonists. The film's enormous popularity was due in large part to Kareena's comic timing, the depth of her emotions in the second half, and the relatability she brought to Geet. It is still one of the most rewatched Bollywood films of the OTT era and won her numerous Best Actress awards. Chameli
Released during an era when Kareena was primarily known for her glamorous parts, Chameli signified a significant departure from her previous work. In her role, she plays a sex worker who, on a rainy night in Mumbai, has an unexpected chat with a grieving businessman. Kareena demonstrated that she could carry a character-driven film without heavy makeup by convincingly delivering a performance in a regional accent. She was able to shed the image as a commercial heroine thanks to the critically acclaimed film. Aitraaz
With a nod to Disclosure as an inspiration, this legal thriller offers a new take on gender politics. The film stars Kareena as a lawyer who defends her husband (Akshay Kumar) against unfounded accusations of sexual harassment levelled by his ex-girlfriend (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who is now his boss. Kareena provided a composed strength to her character, in contrast to Priyanka's headline-grabbing role as the antagonist. She portrayed a wife who, instead of questioning her husband, opts to battle the system, striking a mix between intelligence and empathy. At the turn of the millennium, Bollywood had a unique courtroom drama starring a female lead. Fida
The cybercrime romantic thriller Fida casts Kareena in a more grey-shaded role, one that she hadn't dabbled in before. With her character's pivotal role in a perilous con, the story swiftly transforms from a romance into a betrayal saga. The film's unusual storyline earned it a cult following despite its poor box office results. It was also an early example of Kareena's openness to experiment with unconventional ideas, which she displayed throughout her career. Golmaal Returns
In this ensemble comedy, Kareena plays the role of Ekta, a melodramatic woman who believes her husband is unfaithful and is addicted to daily soaps. Her impeccable comic timing and excessive enthusiasm mirror the wild antics of the Golmaal world. Kareena gained experience in full-blown comedy, a genre she hasn't often dabbled in but effortlessly pulls off, thanks to the commercially successful film. In the heyday of Bollywood's multiplexes, it also helped her attract a larger audience.