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| Kareena Kapoor |
Kareena 'Bebo' is the biggest Bollywood brand Model: Kareena Kapoor’s latest attempt at box office gold may be faltering if the first few reviews of “We Are Family” are any indication, which single her out as a yummy mummy with a penchant for theatrics.
The movie netted a tidy Rs27 million (Dh2.13m) on its opening day in India, but the film’s corresponding five-day receipts have dropped drastically according to industry reports.
Yet, the young actress remains unfazed by anything the media or the critics throw at her. After all, in a career spanning 10 years, Kapoor has heard it all.
The Bollywood diva, who tasted fame in the early years largely due to her family connections – the Kapoor name goes back four generations in the Indian film industry – and her off-screen antics, it has been refreshing to see her act for a change in the latter half of her career.
Today, the 29-year-old is considered a brand par excellence, with Indian glam rag Filmfare magazine rating Kapoor last month as the highest endorsement powerhouse to emerge from Bollywood, with a value rating of 10 on 10.
Emirates24|7 caught up with the starlet who has now embarked on a new career, turning film producer with beau and fellow actor, Saif Ali Khan.
Saif recently confirmed to the media that he’s launching another film production house, apart from his Illuminati Films, which will feature you as one of its board of directors. How hands on do you plan to be?
I definitely will not be hands on in the decision making process.
My role will be regaled to that of a member of the board and possibly provide inputs in terms of creative sensibility of feasibility of a project – suggesting the right actors, artists for respective film scripts.
But it won’t be more active than this. I’m too busy with own movies and my brand endorsements.
Filmfare just voted you as the top brand endorser to emerge from Bollywood, beating the likes of Aishwariya Rai Bachchan and Katrina Kaif. How would you rate your brand quotient?
I think credit for this title has to go to the Sony campaign of mine, which has been particular in its creativity and its concept [Kapoor endorses Vaio laptops and Sony Ericsson mobiles].
Because Sony is such a strong international brand, that has probably added to my market value, as you call it.
As for my brand quotient, I can’t possibly rate that. But I can tell you three simple rules I play by when endorsing a product – no alcohol, no tobacco related products and no non-vegetarian food.
I do not indulge in any of the three and would never lend my face to them.
So your “We Are Family” co-star, Arjun Rampal, recently compared your career graph to that of cricketing great, Sachin Tendulkar. How does that make you feel?
Oh god! That is very kind of him. I am deeply fond of Arjun, and so is Saif.
All of us have the same friend circle, so he’s just flattering me.
The film’s producer Karan Johar, along with actress Kajol and you have teamed up once again after nine years. How was the experience working with them this time around?
Well, Karan has always been my lucky mascot. Plus, I count him as one of my closest friends, so there has never been any discomfort.
As for Kajol, well, I grew up watching and admiring her in “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge”, and its amazing to work in a film with her the allows two powerful actresses to share screen space.
But surely the experience of working with Kajol on screen, almost a decade later, had to be different from 2001’s “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Ghum”.
Kajol and I respect each other a lot. I’ve known her even before “K3G” because of Karisma [her sister], as the two were contemporaries back in the day.
I was a child back then and Kajol always treated me wonderfully even then, like a sister.
With “We Are Family” adapted from Hollywood’s “Stepmom”, did you draw parallels from Julia Roberts, whose role you essay in the Bollywood version? Did playing a stepmom to Saif’s own kids help in anyway?
I did not want to emulate anyone so frankly, I refused to watch “Stepmom” again.
And rather than basing the character on any reality, I wanted to make her my own and see how she comes alive on screen on my own accord.
So, what’s next on the agenda?
Well, October will see the release of “Golmaal 3” during the festival of Diwali. This will be followed by another one of Karan’s films, “Short-term Shaadi”.
Of course, I am still filming for Shah Rukh Khan’s “RaOne” and Saif’s home production, “Agent Vinod”, and both will release next year.
Haven’t you also signed up for Madhur Bandharkar’s “Heroine”?
The film is still in the scripting stage right now.
Do you have plans to celebrate Eid with Saif’s family this year?
Unfortunately, I will be in Russia on Eid to shoot for “Agent Vinod”, so no.
