Karisma Kapoor celebrates 35 years of her debut film ‘Prem Qaidi’: ‘My first film was released four days before my 17th birthday’
Thirty-five years after her big screen debut, Karisma Kapoor is taking a trip down memory lane. The actress, who entered the industry with K. Murali Mohana Rao’s “Prem Qaidi” in 1991, says it is a surreal feeling to look back on a career that began when she was still a teenager.
Starring opposite Harish, Karishma was just 16 when she first faced the camera, a phase she remembers as a quick transition from the classroom to film sets.For Karishma, there was no stopping between education and acting. The actress recalls that her first film arrived just days before a major event in her personal life.“My first film was released four days before my 17th birthday. So, I was straight out of school.
I went to junior college for a few days and then was straight on the sets of Prem Qaidi. I remember the fillies shot too. “Time has gone by really fast.”The early 1990s came with its own set of challenges, she says. Filming conditions were very different from what actors experience today, especially when it comes to lighting equipment. “The lighting was so harsh. We were struggling to barely open our eyes.”
Karisma Kapoor talks about the evolution of cinema over three decades
Having worked through multiple eras in the film industry, Karisma has witnessed a seismic shift in the industry’s artistic landscape.
From celluloid films to digital cameras and from dubbing studios to synchronized sound recording, the filmmaking process has changed dramatically over the course of her career.One project that stands out in her memory is Shyam Benegal’s film “Zubaida”, which she describes as a turning point on a professional and creative level. “Obviously everything was very new. And then I realized, and I think all actors would agree, that your real performance comes when the sound is in sync because you’re in that moment.”According to the actor, performing live on set brought a level of spontaneity that was difficult to recreate during dubbing in post-production. “No matter how hard we try, we can’t get the same feelings in a dark, air-conditioned room while dubbing. I think it made it easier with all the concentration and silence.”
An unforgettable relationship with Shyam Benegal
Among the directors who have influenced her journey, Karishma has great respect for Shyam Benegal in particular. The actress says that working on the film “Zubaida” gave her the opportunity to learn not only acting but also about cinema as a craft.“Zubaida was a wonderful learning experience. He is a wonderful director, and an even more wonderful human being.” She fondly remembers the conversations with Benegal between takes, when he would share stories from the rich history of Indian cinema.“I think I learned a lot even behind the camera from what he talked to me about. Whenever we were free between takes, I would ask him to share stories and kisses to other great actors and actresses from other films, and he really did that.
“It was a beautiful experience.”
Why was Zubaida? Yes immediately
Interestingly, Benegal was not sure whether Karishma would be interested in one of his films, given her image as a major commercial star. But the actress says she never hesitated.“He and my grandfather (Raj Kapoor) share the same birthday, December 14. So, I’ve always had this strange connection with him.” Recalling their first meeting, she says that the director repeatedly checked whether she was sure about accepting the project.“I remember I went to meet him, and he said to me: ‘But will you act in my film?’ And I said: ‘Sir, of course!’ I felt completely honored and grateful.” She added: “He said, ‘Are you sure?’ I said: No, I’ll do it, and I want to do it because at this point in my career, this is when I want to explore.
Karisma Kapoor’s debut that never happened
Before ‘Prem Qaidi’, Karisma was expected to start her career with ‘Barsaat’ opposite Bobby Deol. However, delays in the film’s development prompted her to look for another opportunity.
Years later, Bobby Deol revealed that production delays played a role in the change of plans. “Actually, I was supposed to start with Karisma Kapoor. But the story of my film did not develop. The scripting was still ongoing.”The actor further explained that industry conditions at the time influenced the decision. “So, Karishma was a bit insecure, and I don’t blame her for that. So, she decided to start her career with Prem Kedi.” While Barsaat was eventually released in 1995 with Twinkle Khanna as the female lead, Karisma had already established herself as one of Bollywood’s rising stars by then.After her debut, Karishma became one of the most sought-after actresses of the 1990s with films like ‘Raja Babu’, ‘Coolie No. 1’, ‘Saajan Chale Sasural’, ‘Judwaa’, ‘Hero No. 1’, ‘Biwi No. 1’, ‘Haseena Maan Jaayegi’, ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, ‘Jeet’ and ‘Raja’. “Hindustani”, “Dil To Pagal Hai” and “Hum Saath-Saath Hain”.After retiring from acting after her marriage in 2003, she returned to the screen with the film Dangerous Ishhq and later expanded her presence into the streaming space through projects like Mentalhood, Murder Mubarak and Brown.
Karishma Kapoor’s work front
Today, Karishma says her approach to choosing projects is guided less by strategy than by instinct. “I’m the kind of person. I work from my heart, not from my head. If I feel like doing something, I’ll do it. If I don’t, I’m not interested.”Even after spending 35 years in the industry, her enthusiasm for acting has not changed. “I never take myself too seriously. I just love acting. I want to do my best, and then I leave it to my fans and fans.”As she celebrates the 35th anniversary of ‘Prem Qaidi’, Karisma Kapoor’s journey continues to reflect the evolution of Hindi cinema itself, spanning multiple generations, forms and styles of storytelling while remaining closely connected to the craft she first brought to the screen as a teenager.