Kareena Kapoor recalls Steven Spielberg’s compliment on ‘3 Idiots’ at WAVES 2025: "are you the girl in....."

Day Two of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 turned into a moment of nostalgia and pride as Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a heartwarming memory involving none other than legendary Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg. The actress was speaking during a vibrant panel discussion titled Cinema: The Soft Power, held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.

Joined by Telugu actor Vijay Deverakonda and moderated by director Karan Johar, Kareena opened up about how Indian cinema is making waves across the globe. She highlighted Bollywood’s growing presence on the international stage and shared a personal moment that perfectly captured this shift.

During the discussion, Kareena revealed that many years ago, shortly after the release of 3 Idiots, she had an unexpected encounter with Spielberg at a restaurant while travelling. To her surprise, he recognized her and approached her with admiration. “He asked me, ‘Are you the girl in that very famous Indian film about three students?’ I said, ‘Yes, that’s me,’ and he said, ‘My God, I loved that movie.’ It was so special because I didn’t have to act in a Hollywood film for Steven Spielberg to notice my work,” she said with a smile.

Kareena described the incident as one of the most meaningful highlights of her career and used it to underline how Indian films like 3 Idiots have crossed language and cultural barriers to connect with audiences worldwide.

Apart from this touching anecdote, Kareena also spoke about the evolving role of Indian cinema in shaping global narratives and how digital platforms are pushing Indian content into new territories. She praised the WAVES Summit for providing a platform that brings together voices from across India’s entertainment landscape.

The four-day summit, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, features top talent from across the country including Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Deepika Padukone, Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, and more. WAVES 2025 aims to spotlight India’s rich and diverse audiovisual heritage while fostering international collaborations.