Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jun 23: Veteran Bollywood actor Karisma Kapoor is looking back at her remarkable 35-year journey in the film industry, recalling how she stepped into cinema as a teenager and witnessed the evolution of Hindi films over decades.
Karisma made her big-screen debut with K. Murali Mohana Rao’s Prem Qaidi in 1991, opposite Harish, when she was just 16 years old. She said the transition from school life to film sets happened almost instantly.
“My first movie released four days before my 17th birthday. So, I was straight out of school. I went to junior college for a few days, and then I was straight on the set of Prem Qaidi. I do remember the mahurat shot also. Time has flown by really fast,” she recalled.
Remembering the early 1990s, Karisma said shooting conditions were very different compared to today, especially with lighting equipment.
“The lighting was very harsh. We used to struggle to barely open our eyes,” she said.
Over the course of her career, Karisma has witnessed major changes in filmmaking, from the shift from celluloid to digital cameras and from dubbing-based performances to sync sound recordings.
She described Shyam Benegal’s Zubeidaa as one of the most important films of her career, saying the experience helped her understand the depth of performance.
“Your real performance comes out when it’s sync-sound because you’re in that moment,” she said, adding that live performances on set brought a level of emotion that was difficult to recreate during dubbing.
Karisma also fondly remembered her association with filmmaker Shyam Benegal, whom she described as an extraordinary director and human being. She said their conversations between shots helped her learn not just about acting but also about cinema.
“Zubeidaa was such a learning experience. I think I learnt so much even about behind the camera from what he spoke to me,” she said.
She revealed that Benegal was initially unsure whether she would accept a film with a different style of storytelling, considering her image as a mainstream commercial actor.
Recalling their first meeting, Karisma said she was immediately excited about the opportunity.
“He said, ‘But will you act in my movie?’ I said, ‘Sir, of course!’ I was completely honoured and grateful,” she recalled.
Karisma also spoke about how her debut almost happened with Barsaat opposite Bobby Deol before delays in the project led her to choose Prem Qaidi instead. Barsaat eventually released in 1995 with Twinkle Khanna as the lead actress, by which time Karisma had already become a major Bollywood name.
After her debut, Karisma went on to deliver several successful films including Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Judwaa, Hero No. 1, Biwi No. 1, Andaz Apna Apna, Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai and Hum Saath-Saath Hain.
After taking a break from acting following her marriage in 2003, she returned to films and later appeared in streaming projects including Mentalhood, Murder Mubarak and Brown.
Speaking about choosing roles today, Karisma said she follows her instincts rather than a fixed strategy.
“The kind of person I am, I work from my heart, and not from the head. If I feel like doing something, I would. If I don’t, I’m just not interested,” she said.
Even after three and a half decades in the industry, Karisma said her passion for acting remains unchanged.
“I’ve never taken myself seriously. I just love to act. I want to give it my best shot, and then I just leave it to my audience and fans,” she added.
Karisma Kapoor’s journey, spanning generations of Hindi cinema, continues to reflect the changing face of the industry while remaining rooted in her love for acting.