In this terrific throwback interview, Kareena Kapoor spoke to Subahsh K Jha about her triumph in Santosh Sivan’s historical drama, Asoka, which clocks 24 years since it released on the big screen.
In Asoka you are force of Nature?
You really think so, or are you saying that because you are fond of me? As an actress I feel I’ve improved by leaps and bounds. You know, I watched Asoka by myself with only my mom and sister for company. I cried at the end of the movie. I felt I didn’t know where to go from there.
Asoka for all the raves couldn’t become the rage it was meant to be. Were you disappointed?
Not at all. I was very proud to be part of such a wonderful film, and that too as my career’s fourth film. Let’s put aside the boxoffice success. The letters and flowers I got for Asoka were unbelievable. Every heroine today would give her right arm to do a film like Asoka. I consider myself lucky.
Asoka, was also your passport into international fame. Did you enjoy being the toast of the globe?
Boy, did I enjoy it ! When I went for the international festival the kind of welcome we got was unbelievable. Everywhere we were given a standing ovation. And the audience wasn’t just Indian. There were people from all over the world cheering and clapping. Then there were so many Hollywood and British directors who came up to me to say I was mindblowing. They couldn’t believe I was Indian. I don’t know why.
Indian is Sunny Deol. You belong to the entire world?
Ummmmm. Back home I got heaps of compliments from every filmmaker from Yash Johar to Yash Chopra. My actor colleagues like Sanjay Dutt whom I’ve never met or worked with phoned, sent flowers, letters. Just the other day at a restaurant when I had gone for a meal a whole family came up to me to praise me about Asoka. And my mobile rang incessantly. I didn’t know what to do it.
How do you handle the compliments?
I guess because of the way I’ve been brought up the compliments never turn my head. The secret of being good is to not take the praise seriously. But yes, the expectations of my fans do scare me. I have to very be careful about the kind of films and roles I do. I couldn’t have hoped for a better break than Asoka so early in my career. I had such a wonderful team behind me.
But a lot of people who think you’re amazing feel let down by your films after Refugee?
I disagree with that. I’m not disappointed by any of my films. Refugee put me on the map. Asoka got me international acclaim. Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai proved my commercial saleability. As for Ajnabee, it was an experiment that failed. It was the first film I signed when Refugee was in the making. I wanted to work with Abbas-Mustan. But Ajnabee is not a disaster like Yaadein. Even though Yaadein went unappreciated my performance was noticed. There are certain scenes in the film which I’ll cherish forever. There’s that scene in the park with Hrithik and my confrontation scene with Jackie. The father-daughter portions were good. I don’t think I should take the pessimism about my career too seriously. One Friday it’s like ‘She’s too good, yaar’. The next Friday the same people turn around and say, ‘Why is everyone running after her?’ . I don’t want to take her name, but there’s this actress who gave two blockbusters and was really hot. Now she has given the biggest debacle imaginable. So what does that make her? I just want to be know as a good actress. Ultimately nothing else counts.
In spite of the boxoffice failures no one doubted your abilities for even a day.
I think that came from the reputation of professionalism that I inherited from my sister. People felt my sister was there to make sure I’d never behave unprofessionally. Even without my sister’s reputation to support my career I have been disciplined and professional right from Day One. And I don’t think I’ve disappointed those who believe in me.
Earlier you used to be uncomfortable with playing the glamour girl. Are you okay with that now?
I’ve realized one thing. I’m here to be at the top. And to get there you have to be sexy glamorous and attractive. Everyone who has been at the top Rekha, Sridevi, Madhuri , Karisma they’ve all had to take the glamorous route. Why, Rekha is called the the sex goddess. I was very flattered when a magazine called me the same name. In any case just by being in a salwar-kameez I can’t prove myself a good actress. The clothes have to be in character. I believe to be commercially successful you have to be glamorous. And I want to be the no.1 actress. And why point a finger at my for my clothes? I know of actresses who have suddenly started showing cleavage after a decade in the industry. A bit late in the day, no?
But I don’t think anyone wants to see you doing the oomphy act?
That’s okay. I want to do a mixture of authentic and glamorous roles. From the deglamorized Refugee I swung straight into the ultra-glam of Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai.
I don’t think any other heroine has had the opportunity to do as wide a variety of roles in one year as I have. No two films of mine are the same.
I believe you command the highest fee ever by an actress?
I suppose I do. I take that as a huge compliment. It proves that filmmakers and audiences have full faith in my abilities, irrespective of the boxoffice outcome of my films. Just by being part of successful films, you don’t become a success in your own right. See Madhuri Dixit or Sridevi didn’t become instant successes. Madhuri’s first few films were failures. Sure, Sridevi had Nagina, Chandni and Mr India . But after so many years in the industry. Or for that matter how many memorable blockbusters has Rekha starred in? And yet she’s a movie goddess. I’ve been lucky to have a big success like Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai right at the start. The problem is, after Refugee everyone wanted to see me giving powerhouse performances in all my films. It’s hard to live up to so many expectations.
