Ajit Rai/Jeddah

Indian actress Kareena Kapoor has said that the biggest film star for her is Aamir Khan. "There is no one else like him." Aamir Khan is the only actor and filmmaker who has given a new identity to Hindi cinema globally. Kareena said that even today she learns a lot from Aamir Khan.

Kareena Kapoor at the Red Sea International Film Festival

Kareena Kapoor was speaking at an audience interaction program at the fourth Red Sea International Film Festival held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She spoke openly about his twenty-five year acting journey from JP Dutta's 'Refugee' (2000) to Rohit Shetty's 'Singham Again'.A large number of his fans from Arab, Pakistan, India and countries around the world had come to listen to him in the huge auditorium of Culture Square in Jeddah. 

Kareena Kapoor said that she realizes that she has millions of fans in Arab countries and she is grateful to them all. She has come to Jeddah for the second time for the Red Sea International Film Festival.She always feels that she is the granddaughter of the great actor of Indian cinema Raj Kapoor and the heir of a great tradition. Therefore, she cannot do anything that will harm her family tradition.

Kareena Kapoor at the Red Sea International Film Festival

Praising Aamir Khan, she further said, "Among all the actors she has worked with till now, Aamir Khan has been the best co-star." While sharing memories of working together with Aamir Khan in films like 'Three Idiots', 'Lal Singh Chaddha' and 'Talaash', she said, 'Talaash' was the most special film for her. "I like Aamir Khan's films like 'Ghajini' and 'Dil Chahta Hai' very much." 

She said, "Today's cinema has changed a lot and an actor has to play many types of roles simultaneously.  Like before, the artist cannot remain tied to any one image. Sometimes one has to play romantic and sometimes action roles. One has to work with Rohit Shetty in a big budget multi-starrer action film like 'Singham Again', with Hansal Mehta in 'Buckingham Murder' and with Anurag Kashyap in 'Udta Punjab'." She said that commercial directors like Rohit Shetty are important but directors like Imtiaz Ali, Hansal Mehta, Anurag Kashyap, Govind Nihalani and Sudhir Mishra are also no less important. 

Kareena Kapoor at an interview at the Red Sea International Film Festival

"Geet Dhillon's character in Imtiaz Ali's film 'Jab We Met' became a cult. None of my interviews are complete without her. This film proved to be a milestone for me. When the film came out, every girl saw herself in the character of Geet Dhillon. If you ask which character I like the most, I would say Geet Dhillon from 'Jab We Met'. The beauty with which Imtiaz Ali made 'Amar Singh Chamkila' is unmatched. Working in Sudhir Mishra's 'Chameli' gave me a lot of creative energy. Doctorni's role in Anurag Kashyap's 'Udta Punjab' was a bit different. That was Diljit Dosanjh's first Hindi film. When I started my career with JP Dutta's Refugee, I was just twenty years old. Who knew then that gradually we would accomplish so much in these twenty-five years? I would also like to remember Govind Nihalani's 'Dev' which was completely different. I am also grateful to Karan Johar who gave me the opportunity to work with big actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan in 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'. He is blessed with divine talent. Similarly, working in Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Omkara' was a different creative experience." 

Kareena Kapoor said that she has learned a lot from her elder sister Karishma Kapoor and continues to learn even today. She said that she has been greatly influenced by the films of Sridevi, Kajol and Madhuri Dixit. She said that her mother-in-law Sharmila Tagore is a great actress from whom she gets a lot of inspiration. In comparison to them, she has not been able to do anything yet. 

 

 

 

 

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She said that although there are many similarities between India and Saudi Arabia, one similarity is most important and that is giving importance to family. The most powerful and sacred thing in life is family. She said that she was most happy on becoming a mother. Becoming a mother is the greatest happiness for a woman.

The name Bebo was given to her with great love by her parents (Babita and Randhir Kapoor). "I feel good when someone calls me by this name. Family is everything for me. First I am the mother of my two children and later an actress. It is quite interesting to be both a mother and an actress simultaneously.", she said. 

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She opened up about her husband Saif Ali Khan. "He supports me a lot. Also gives advice from time to time. I am lucky that I met Saif Ali Khan. We discuss a lot and sometimes even disagree. Sometimes we should enjoy disagreements. I would love to work with Saif Ali Khan in a film."