‘Kareena and I travelled by school bus and went to college by local trains,’ says Karisma Kapoor on her mother Babita's humble parenting
Karisma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan are one of the most stylish siblings and come from Bollywood’s first film family. However, that has not made things any easier for the sisters who have reigned supreme in Bollywood at the peak of their careers. Karisma broke a lot of traditions when she became the first Kapoor girl to act in films as her mother and aunts all subsequently bid adieu to the arc lights as soon as they got married.
Speaking to the Official Humans of Bombay Facebook page, Karisma opened up about her Bollywood journey and revealed the sage advice her grandfather late Raj Kapoor gave her. She also spoke about the humble way her mother Babita brought her and Kareena up. She said, “Growing up, I used to visit my granddad on set—& his talent would leave me mesmerized. Once I was there when he was directing Ram Teri Ganga Maili. I loved the sets, camera & lights! I knew I wanted to become an actor & contribute to the family legacy. When I told my granddad, he said, ‘It’s glamorous but it’s not a bed of roses—you will have to work very hard.’ That stayed with me. I wanted to act but my inner voice made me doubt myself.”
She further added, “But what motivated me, was how grounded my mom kept me. Despite being from an illustrious family, she made us live a simple life. My sister & I travelled by school bus & went to college by local trains. My mom taught me how to stick to my roots & still be confident. She knew about my passion for acting & about my hesitation. I didn’t want to falter & let anybody down. But she said that until I try, I’d never know. That’s when I signed my first film—a remake of a South Indian movie! While shooting, I gave my best. I had to ‘make it’ or ‘break it’. And the movie was a success! As my career progressed, there were highs & lows. I had done a song, ‘Sexy Sexy’—I’d worked hard & even hurt my knees for it. I was appreciated for my dance, but people thought the song was way ahead of its time—the word ‘Sexy’ wasn’t common back then.”
Karisma has featured in several box office hits such as Jigar, Anari, Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Biwi No.1, Dil Toh Pagal Hai, Raja Hindustani, Zubeidaa and Fiza. She will next be seen in the web-series Mentalhood.
