Karisma Kapoor

Karisma Kapoor is an Indian actress who was born on June 25, 1974, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. She belongs to the illustrious Kapoor family, a legendary dynasty renowned for its contributions to Indian cinema spanning generations. Her father is veteran actor Randhir Kapoor, and her mother is actress Babita Kapoor (née Shivdasani). Her younger sister is also a successful Bollywood actress, Kareena Kapoor.

Her paternal grandfather was the renowned actor and filmmaker Raj Kapoor, and her great-grandfather was the legendary Prithviraj Kapoor, both iconic figures in Indian cinema. She is the first-cousin of actor Ranbir Kapoor, and Saif Ali Khan is her brother-in-law through Kareena's marriage. Her heritage blends Hindu Punjabi roots from her father's side with Sindhi and British ancestry from her mother's side.

Karisma Kapoor attended the Cathedral & John Connon School in Mumbai until Grade Six and later studied at Sophia College, though she left without completing an degree to pursue acting.

Her father initially opposed her career choice due to traditional family values regarding women working in films, making her the first in her family to break this tradition. Her parents separated in 1988 due to differing views on women working in the film industry, and Karisma and Kareena were primarily raised by their mother. The couple reconciled in 2007.

She launched her acting career in 1991 with the film "Prem Qaidi" opposite Harish. Most of her films between 1992 and 1995 failed at the box office, and she had not received significant fame during this period.

Her breakthrough came in 1996 with "Raja Hindustani," which catapulted her to stardom and earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She followed this with the super-successful "Dil To Pagal Hai" in 1997, where her performance as a dancer was critically acclaimed.

During her early career, she made news with a fight with her "Andaz Apna Apna" (1994) co-star Raveena Tandon. She had a series of hit comedies between 1994 and 1997, including "Raja Babu" and "Hero No. 1," both starring Govinda and directed by David Dhawan. She also starred in popular romantic comedies like "Biwi No. 1" and "Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge".

She surprised many with an excellent performance in "Fiza" (2000), showing great emotional range and depth. This role earned her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress and a National Film Award. She also starred in "Zubeidaa" (2001), for which she received the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress. Other notable films include "Hum Saath-Saath Hain," "Shakti," "Rishtey," and "Mere Jeevan Saathi".

Furthermore, she ventured into the supernatural thriller "Dangerous Ishqq" in 2012 and made her web series debut with "Mentalhood" in 2020. She appeared in "Zero" (2018) as a guest appearance and in "Bodyguard" (2011) as a supporting actress. Her most recent film includes "Murder Mubarak" in 2024.