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Karisma Kapoor is celebrating her 50th birthday on June 25. The actor, who made her Bollywood debut with Prem Qaidi (1991), was appreciated for her recent comeback with Homi Adajania’s Murder Mubarak. Karisma was initially a part of massy films in which her performances and costumes were criticised. However, she put an end to the criticism with her makeover in Dharmesh Darshan’s Raja Hindustani and being part of arthouse cinema like Fiza and Zubeidaa. Here’s a glimpse at Karisma Kapoor’s five iconic roles in her movie career. (Also read: Karisma Kapoor stuns on magazine cover ahead of 50th birthday, fans call her ‘timeless beauty’)
Raja Hindustani (1996)
Karisma Kapoor’s look and costumes in the movie directed by Dharmesh Darshan created a major shift in the fashion scene. Her transformation matched her sophisticated character Arti, a wealthy girl who falls in love with a taxi driver, played by Aamir Khan. Raja Hindustani is based on the traditional love story involving class division and was inspired by the Shashi Kapoor-Nanda starrer Jab Jab Phool Khile (1965). Aside from Karisma’s transformation from a damsel-in-distress to a more mature portrayal, the film’s music became extremely popular in the ’90s. The chemistry between Karisma and Aamir, especially in the famous kissing scene, is still much talked about. Despite the conservative times, the censor board did not object to the sequence and gave the film a U certificate. Aamir and Karisma won the Filmfare Award for Best Actor (Male and Female respectively) for their roles in this romantic drama, and the film became the biggest commercial hit in both of their careers till then.
Dil To Pagal Hai (1997)
Karisma Kapoor agreed to star alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit in Yash Chopra’s musical love story. Prior to her, Manisha Koirala, Urmila Matondkar, Juhi Chawla, Kajol and many other female actors refused to play the character of Nisha. While many were skeptical about being overshadowed by Madhuri, others did not want to portray the second lead. Karisma not only gained appreciation, but also bagged a National Award for Best Supporting Actor (Female) for the movie. Her Dance of Envy musical sequence showing her dance-off with Madhuri was loved for its choreography and glamour.
Haseena Maan Jayegi (1999)
Karisma once again attempted an out-and-out massy genre with the David Dhawan directorial. The comedy-drama also featured Sanjay Dutt, Govinda, Pooja Batra, Anupam Kher and others. The actor’s chemistry with Govinda and energetic dance moves were equally lauded apart from the film’s humour. Her portrayal of Ritu Verma opposite Govinda’s Monu had many moments of laughter. The duo’s comic timing was loved by the audiences. Haseena Maan Jayegi also became the fifth-highest-grossing Hindi film of 1999.
Fiza (2000)
Karisma once again pushed boundaries by working in an offbeat movie based on communal riots and religious discrimination. She played the titular role in Khalid Mohammed’s Fiza. The actor portrayed Hrithik Roshan’s elder sister in the movie. She was lauded for depicting the pain of finding out her missing brother, who had become a terrorist. Many regarded it as her best performance, ahead of Dil To Pagal Hai, for which she won a National Award.
Zubeidaa (2001)
Zubeidaa was directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. It was based on the life of the ill-fated actor Zubeida Begum, who married Hanwant Singh of Jodhpur. Zubeida Begum was Khalid’s mother. In the movie, Karisma played the main character opposite Manoj Bajpayee in an epic musical romance. This was Karisma’s first period film and her first and last collaboration with Shyam Benegal.
