Kareena Kapoor was, is and will always be Bollywood’s ultimate It-Girl

Before Pinterest existed, magazines and films were the go-to spots for fashion and beauty inspiration, and with that came limited access to the influence one has over popular culture. The idea of an It Girl might seem rather commonplace now, with the title being heralded by different people for a short tenure, given the speed at which the internet consumes people and ideas.

However, there are some names that will forever be associated with the title of being an It Girl because, in a way, it feels like the very term was created for them. One of these unforgettably influential women is Kareena Kapoor Khan, an actress who has been in the game for over 25 years and has a solid repertoire in the industry, with over 60 films under her belt. 

Rewind to the early 2000s, and Kareena had just entered the stage as a fresh, young face. From her debut film, Refugee released in 2000, Kareena managed to make herself recognisable by winning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. But this would be nothing compared to the cultural snowstorm, with just three letters and one syllable, that would sweep across Bollywood: Poo.

2001’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, a major box-office success, saw one character stand out amongst the myriad established actors, and it was one twenty-something girl in a crop top and a mini-skirt with a whole lot of sass. Poo was already an interesting character within Bollywood’s context at the time. She wasn’t the typical doe-eyed heroine clad in a dupatta, she embodied everything that defied the sheer likability that women were steered towards, unafraid to be loud, funny, or even difficult. Kareena’s role in turning this potentially polarising character into something that women across the whole country embraced with open arms was especially prominent, creating a campy, cool character that many aspired towards. 

Beyond Poo, Kareena’s roles in various movies would continue to create a lasting impression of the actress, marking her as one of Bollywood’s actresses early in her career. From the talkative and vivacious Geet in Jab We Met, who captured the hearts of audiences with her endearingly energetic personality, to medical student Pia, the emotional anchor of the likes o who played the role of the emotional anchor in 3 Idiots, Kareena’s roles have continued to show her range without dismissing the immersive experience of watching her on screen. The influence of the roles she dons doesn't end with the character.

One of Kareena’s early roles as Pooja Singh (or Jimmy Cliff) in Tashan sparked a conversation regarding body image and unrealistic beauty standards in the film industry across the nation following her drastic weight loss down to a size zero for the role. While opinions were thrown around regarding the topic, one thing was clear: Kareena’s presence and her choices were something that the country had begun to treat as barometers for where Indian womanhood was headed. Her influence would only grow over time. 

For the longest time, Kareena Kapoor stood on her own, not defined by the people around her. She was truly her own person. Then, in 2012, following her marriage with Saif Ali Khan, she folded the Khan into her name. However, this wasn’t a sign of her receding into domesticity; in fact, she would proudly wear the name she had earned and take the opportunity to rewrite bridal fashion itself. Opting for ivory Sabyasachi lehengas over the reflexive reds of Bollywood weddings and quietly making pastel bridalwear aspirational overnight.

Then came motherhood, and she truly did lean into the doting mother image that she is, but that did not stop her from continuing to stun on red carpets, magazine covers and even writing a pregnancy book derived from her experience. She didn't treat motherhood as a sacrifice but rather an addition to an already fulfilling life, creating, yet again, the aspirational air that she has always been great at exuding. 

Today, Kareena is a far cry from the loud young adult with bright shorts, mini-skirts and shrugs, but the essence has remained the same. The crop tops and drama have given way to something closer to editorial restraint: tailored co-ords, Chanel tweed, a wardrobe that reads as someone who does not need attention, but gets it regardless. It's the same instinct that's currently reshaping Bollywood style more broadly — heritage fabrics, muted palettes, silhouettes that whisper status instead of shouting it — and Kareena, characteristically, got there before the trend had a name.

Where she once told the industry how to dress loud, she's now quietly telling it how to dress rich. What makes Kareena's run so unusual isn't that she's stayed relevant. Plenty of stars manage a comeback or two but Kareena played a different ballgame, she never needed a comeback because she was always present, shaping the cultural conversation one iconic moment after the other.  

Text by Judah Abujam 

Edited by Sabrina Mathews