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Speaking your mind just as you please, is truly a virtue, especially in today’s day and age when the world is increasingly becoming diplomatic. In the same breath, it can also land you in trouble. But our birthday girl Bebo doesn’t seem to have any qualms about that! Over her 25 years in the public eye, Kareena Kapoor Khan has never batted an eyelid from saying exactly what she wants and how she wants. Though a few situations may have been construed as major foot-in-the-mouth moments, others have given us some truly evergreen snippets, the meme-worthiness of which just don’t seem to fade. So as Kareena rings in her 44th birthday, here’s taking a sprint down memory lane of media moments where Bebo was just being Bebo and unabashedly so.
Homebody alert
Who doesn’t love a full face of glam and a perfect OOTN to go with it? But past a point in the night, everyone just wants to make it home. Well, so does Kareena! Easily the most memorable moment in this roundup, the number of memes it spun has made it nearly immortal. After an awards ceremony on her way out, Kareena stopped for a quick chat with the paps. Soon enough during the conversation, her response to a question simply went, “nahi nahi, ghar jaana hai abhi, bohot late ho gaya hai” (no no, I have to go home, it’s so late). The statement may seem simple, but the expressions and sass with which Kareena delivered them just struck a chord with the internet and with good reason. Refresh your memory with this clip.
Outing her brother like a dutiful sister should
Before Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt became the dreams-do-come-true it couple of Bollywood, the actor had his fair share of off-screen romances. Katrina Kaif (now also Kaushal), made for a big chapter in his life. During their courtship period, rumours of them being head over heels in love with one another had been doing the rounds for a while but both remained tight-lipped about it without so much as a single trip, pun intended. So here’s where Bebo came in for their fans, like a dame in shining armour.
On the fourth season of Karan Johar’s infamous chat show, Koffee with Karan, in the midst of answering a question about a hypothetical gay encounter with an industry colleague, she said, “I’ll probably be more comfortable with my sister-in-law Katrina. It’s all in the family”. Though Kareena later clarified that the statement was made in good humour, she definitely did let the ‘Kat’ out of the bag, and cheekily so.
Hot take
Back in 2020 when the nepotism debate was as fresh as ever, most big Bollywood names from legacy families were choosing to keep their lips pursed, hoping that the storm would soon blow over. Not Kareena though. During a virtual chat with Barkha Dutt in 2020, the actor flipped the script on the critics, highlighting how it is always the audience that makes a star and that your family name can only take you so far. She said, “The audience has made us, nobody else has made us. The same people pointing fingers, they are only making these nepotistic stars. Aap jaa re ho na film dekhne? Mat jao (You are going to watch the films, right? Don’t go). Nobody has forced you. So I don’t understand it. I find this whole discussion is completely weird”.
This take did land her in some scalding hot soup, but Bebo owned her stance regardless.
It’s not you, it’s me!
Well that’s what Kareena explained to her elder son Taimur when the latter had some very valid questions about his alleged popularity. During her 25-year run press conference Kareena revealed how she has made it very clear to Taimur about who’s the famous one between them. In her trademark, animated nature, she shared how a conversation about the same goes with her telling Tim Tim, “No you aren’t famous, I am famous. You are nobody. You haven’t done anything!”.
Though the clip makes for a fun watch, we have to give it to Kareena for keeping it a 100 percent real with her kids, even though they are quite the pap favourites.
Special mention: ‘I’m not a feminist’
Easily the most controversial statement on the list, this is actually the perfect specimen of Kareena never being afraid to speak her mind. During the promotions of her 2018 chick flick Veere di Wedding, when she was asked about her stance on feminism, she said, “Well I believe in equality I won’t say I am a feminist, I would say I am a woman. And, above all, I am a human being”. Most on the internet dubbed the statement “dumb”, Kareena’s logic for what she said was simple enough. “I am as proud to be known as Saif Ali Khan’s wife as I am to be Kareena Kapoor. So, that’s just the way I am”, she concluded. Well, take it or leave it has always been her vibe.
We wish Kareena a very happy birthday!
