Despite being one of Bollywood’s biggest stars and giving numerous memorable performances over the years, Kareena Kapoor Khan is completely chill. When we meet her, she’s sitting on the sofa of her vanity van, sans makeup and other adornments.
That is reflected in her social media accounts as well. She doesn’t believe in filters or posting photos that have been altered. It’s candid, with a glimpse into her personal life. “I’m on Instagram; I like it because it’s pictorial, and I’m sticking to the original format.” I’m having fun and keeping my page fairly authentic. There’s nothing else I can do but show you a little bit of family. “I am also a private person, and I am doing my best,” she says.
She is currently awaiting the release of her next film, Laal Singh Chaddha, starring Aamir Khan, and is well aware of the scrutiny that every word and image of hers undergoes. One such photo sparked speculation that she was pregnant. She responded in her own unique way, writing on her Instagram stories, “It’s pasta and wine guys…”
When we bring it up, she laughs, “That picture was morphed! My tummy looked like that, and I thought to myself, ‘Oh my God, is that it?’ I’m not sure if it’s the wine and pasta!’ I had been on a 40-day vacation and had lost track of how many pizzas I had consumed. That was it; I had to take it in stride and tell myself, ‘chill, it’s okay, we’re also human beings.'”
Isn’t it problematic that when a woman gains weight, the first assumption is that she is pregnant? Khan concurs. “What exactly do you mean ‘is she pregnant?'” Is she expecting another child?’ Is this some kind of machine? “Leave the decision to me, na!” she quips.
The actor, who has films in the works with Sujoy Ghosh, Rhea Kapoor, and Hansal Mehta, adds, “That’s why I wrote that Insta note.” Please keep in mind that we, too, are human beings, just like you. In today’s world, I am an actor who has been the most truthful! When I was eight-nine months pregnant, I was in the fattest stage of my life. I am not someone who hides anything or claims to be perfect all of the time. Everyone is free to live their own lives.”