The Royal Blush

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Woman This Month’s Farheen Ahmed spotlights the life of actress Kareena Kapoor who will be visiting the island this month.

There is an old world charisma about this green-eyed beauty. She is the epitome of grace and glamour and yet represents the new-age uber cool.

Born into the fifth generation of the illustrious Kapoor clan to actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita, she needs no introduction. Kareena Kapoor Khan is the perfect blend of grace and glamour. She seldom shows any discomfort from being in the constant limelight. She is an actor whose horizon is way beyond the marquee.

April-2015_People1_001It usually takes an ‘extra’ something to truly shine above the rest and Kapoor has proved to the world that passion, courage and determination can indeed help one achieve all that and more. She loves the rush of adventure, the thrill of wanting to try something different and that has brought innumerable blockbuster hits with the crème de la crème of the acting fraternity including Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan and Akshay Kumar amongst others Kareena made her acting debut in 2000 in a war drama Refugee, which was followed by a series of less well known parts. However, 2004 marked the turning point in her career with her award winning role in Chameli, where she portrayed a sex worker. This was followed by meaty roles in big budget films like Omkara (a remake of Shakspeare’s Othello) in 2006. And then a spate of commercial hits: 2007’s Jab We Met, 3 Idiots in 2009, Gol Maal 3 in 2010 and Bodyguard in 2011. She has undoubtedly claimed the throne as the Queen Bee of Bollywood.

In June 2010, People magazine described her as, “India‘s most beautiful woman”, while Eastern Eye and Maxim coined her as “Asia’s Sexiest Woman” and “India’s Hottest Woman” in 2010 and 2011 respectively. In 2009, a Bollywood nutritionist collaborated with her for Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight, a self-help book on weight loss which sold more than 10,000 copies in its first few weeks. This was followed by another book, Women and the Weight Loss Tamasha. In 2012 Kareena also co-authored, with Rochelle Pinto, her autobiographical memoir The Style Diary of a Bollywood Diva.

Having put her name to innumerable ad films and brand endorsements, in 2013 Kareena was signed as the brand ambassador of Malabar Gold and Diamonds saying: “It is my pleasure to be the face of such a prestigious brand that has become synonymous with style, design, beauty and trust. I am immensely happy to be associated with Malabar Gold & Diamonds who have introduced the Brides of India concept showcasing the traditional and vibrant rituals and colourful jewellery of brides across India. I wish Malabar Gold & Diamonds all the best in its endeavor to become the world’s number one jeweller.”

At the signing ceremony MP Ahammed, chairman of Malabar Group, said: “Kareena Kapoor is an epitome of beauty and style and we are extremely delighted to have her as our brand ambassador. She symbolises contemporary India and represents the emerging youth of this country. Her presence in our communications will enhance our brand equity.”

April-2015_People1_002Apart from acting, Kareena has been actively involved in a series of philanthropic activities including raising money for the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. In 2010, she adopted a village in Madhya Pradesh called Chanderi to support its inhabitants with the supply of electricity. She has also joined international campaigns for UNESCO and FIFA and played a pivotal role to combat domestic violence against woman as an ambassador for the ‘Shakti’ campaign, a project launched in association with NDTV television.

The course of true love ran smoothly when she tied the knot in October 2012, after a five-year relationship with her long term boyfriend and Bollywood actor Nawab Saif Ali Khan, who is 10 years her senior. Even though they follow different faiths and had different upbringings, their marriage was a reflection of love beyond boundaries. Saif is the son of Nawab Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and belongs to a royal Muslim family, whereas Kareena was born in a Punjabi-Hindu family and has also witnessed Christianity. Their big fat royal wedding crossed all religious as well as age boundaries.

Speaking of her marriage Kareena said: “Being a bride is like a dream come true for every girl. It was like a fairytale for me.”

On her wedding day, she wore her mother-in-law Sharmila’s wedding outfit that was a gift to her by her own mother-in-law, Begam Sajida Sultan of Bhopal in 1939. It took designer Ritu Kumar more than five months to recreate the ancient costume using gold benarsi fabric in the likeness of the fabric used in the original.

However, marriage has not derailed her from her career and she continues with more projects in Bollywood.
She is one woman who isn’t afraid to wear what she fancies and that labels her as a true style diva.

April-2015_People1_003My favourite things:
Designer: Gianni Versace, Alexander McQueen, Manish Malhotra and Ralph Lauren
Colour: Red and Black
Perfume: Dune
Sport: Swimming
Gems: Diamonds
Actor: Raj Kapoor
Actress: Charlize Theron

Fast Facts
Full name: Kareena Kapoor Khan
Nick name: Bebo
Date of Birth: September 21 1980
Star sign: Virgo