“I was always meant to be an actress”: Karisma Kapoor’s throwback revelation

Karisma Kapoor's Throwback Revelation: "I Was Always Meant to Be an Actress"

Before Karisma Kapoor became a Bollywood icon in the 1990s, her decision to enter the film industry was groundbreaking. In a rare 1990 interview, a year before her debut in Prem Qaidi, the 16-year-old actress openly discussed breaking the Kapoor family tradition, her first day on set, and the unique encouragement she received from her legendary grandfather, Raj Kapoor.

Breaking the Family Mould

Karisma directly addressed the family tradition in an interview with Lehren Retro.

"If my father and his brother could marry heroines, why can't the women of the family work in films? It's the same thing."

At a time when daughters-in-law like Babita and Neetu Singh had given up acting after marriage, Karisma's decision marked a turning point. She refuted the notion that Kapoor women were prohibited from acting, stating,

“I don’t know why everybody is under this illusion. My father encourages me now. Even my grandfather said, ‘Lolo baby, if you become an actress, be the best — otherwise don’t.’”

Facing the Camera for the First Time

Although Prem Qaidi was released in 1991, Karisma's first shooting experience was during the filming of Nishchay in 1990, which was released later in 1992. She fondly remembered her first day on set, sharing, "I had waited so long to face the camera. It was so nice. I shot a short scene with Salman Khan and Reema Lagoo. Everyone, including the director, was incredibly sweet and made me feel comfortable.”

She also mentioned that she never did a screen test, making her debut feel even more personal and organic.