In this exclusive excerpt from She Walks She Leads, Kareena Kapoor Khan talks about defying her family when she moved in with Saif Ali Khan, why their romance was the fairy tale she'd always dreamed of, and how nothing has changed, career-wise, after marriage:
Ever since she was a child, she tells me, Kareena had two desires: to be the biggest movie-star ever and to have the perfect fairytale romance. "I unabashedly wore my heart on my sleeve and it was a nice ride till I finally met Saif and we fell in love,' she laughs. Yes, and as it turned out, he is a prince, which fits my fairytale metaphor perfectly, but he didn't have to be one - I mean, he would have been just as charming without his title.'
Saif first met Kareena when she was a young girl on her big sister's film-set. In his own words, he was bowled over by her beauty and asked someone who she was. They were co-stars in LOC and Omkara but had never spent time together until they began shooting Tashan in Ladakh. Kareena confesses that she thought Saif was a very attractive man, and the fact that he made her laugh was a big plus.
"I think timing is everything. I met Kareena at a point in my life when I was ready to consolidate and build in every area of my life. She brought a great sense of stability; I felt like we were able to create a solid foundation on which I could build emotionally, financially, and professionally,' says Saif.
As they began shooting in the stunning and isolated landscapes of Ladakh, Saif and Kareena were healing from failed relationships, which brought them closer. Unalike as they are, their chemistry and relationship grew in the magical, inexplicable manner that the greatest love stories have. Kareena was bowled over by Saif's forthrightness, sense of humour and love of adventure; he was charmed by her liveliness and child-like personality. They decided to live together. Kareena says to me, "Saif and I moved in together because I was ready to leave my mother's house, and if he and I did not live together, we would barely meet. There were some raised eyebrows, especially since I am from the Kapoor khandaan. But I was always honest about it. In Bollywood, the tried-and-tested formula always works, so why not try and test a relationship? I didn't see anything wrong in it.'
Five years after they began living together, Saif and Kareena were married on 16 October 2012. It was a quiet affair - a sangeet and civil ceremony at Kareena's Bandra home, followed by a lavish dinner in Mumbai and a Dawat-e-Walima in Delhi hosted by Sharmila Tagore, Saif's mother. For two Bollywood stars from famous families, the celebrations were discreet and understated; Kareena says it was important for the couple to protect their privacy and tells me they had threatened their families that they would elope if their wedding was turned into a media circus.
When I speak with Saif about their marriage, he says, "When two actors are in a relationship, no matter what the intention is, there is a great deal of uncertainty. Our wedding resolved that. For me it is very important to feel calm about the person I am with, and not distracted or worried. If one is happy at home, it shows on one's face, and in one's work. Kareena has made me feel secure about our relationship, so I am happy being with her.'
Saif and Kareena are, in so many ways, a modern, fuss-free couple. She did not even entertain the thought of quitting movies after her wedding, and neither has she begun to play safe with her choice of roles.
"I'm an actor first, my films are a part of me, and people love me because of them. I know I am now Kareena Kapoor Khan, and with that comes a lot of responsibility towards my in-laws, but this has nothing to do with my career. A lot of people had actually advised me not to get married because there's this idea that married women are not accepted in the industry. But I think there's nothing sexier than being a married woman.'
Saif is effusive about how Kareena has changed his life - "She has been a good influence on me, and inspires me to get things right - whether it's being disciplined about fitness and food, or how much to party. We share a healthy equation of likes and dislikes.'
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
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