Kareena Kapoor Khan celebrates turning 37 today, completing 17 years since she first established herself in Bollywood with her debut film, Refugee. Every film she’s done since — be it Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham, 3 Idiots or Ra.One — have only made us believe more in her talents. Kareena has turned a shade wiser with every blockbuster film she’s churned out, and the very same wisdom is apparent in her demeanour today. The outspoken actress isn’t one who simply preaches — her actions sum up her beliefs, of which the strongest is her belief in herself.
We pay homage to 37-year-old Kareena journey in the public eye through these life lessons she’s taught us.
1. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind
Right from the day Kareena joined Bollywood, she has been staunch in her beliefs and never been scared to say what she really means. In her first-ever cover shoot with ELLE, the actress demonstrated that she’s not afraid to be her own hype person. “I’ve become an international craze now. I still have producers lined up outside my house waiting to sign me for an unheard of sum.” Love her blunt honesty or loathe it, you can’t deny she emerged as a breath of fresh air in a politically correct environment.
2. You are what you eat
Kareena is a self-professed foodie. “I am a breakfast person. I need food the moment I wake up. My brains don’t work, otherwise,” she told us. But she’s also very cautious about what she puts in her body, with her focus on foods that boost her metabolism. Kareena also counts herself fortunate for liking all the ‘boring vegetables’. “I love having lauki, turi and all that stuff… I am lucky to like karela and jawar. I can have it for three days in a row.” The new momma has already passed on the healthy eating baton to her 8-month-old as well. “Catch them young, you see. If it comes to Taimur’s diet — it’s lauki, turi and basically a lot of local vegetables,” she divulges.
3. You don’t need to seek validation from social media
Who needs online validation when you are Kareena Kapoor Khan? “Social media is like a drug: if you have five million followers, you want to get to 10, then 15 — it’s never enough. Then, there’s so much scrutiny online and everyone has to have an opinion on everything. I’m a private person and I’m happier to be out of it,” she’s been quoted saying.
4. Say no to diets
Life is too short to skip deliciously fried food, thinks Kareena. “On holidays, the first thing I do is get pizza and french fries,” she once confided to us. The secret, in case you’re wondering, is portion control.
5. Don’t shy away from battling sexism head-on
When the media went ballistic on Kareena’s impending motherhood, Kareena shut everyone down by saying this: “I’m pregnant, not a corpse. And what maternity break? It’s the most normal thing on earth to produce a child.” Never been more proud.
