MUST READ kareena interview!!!

For the first time ever, Kareena Kapoor speaks out openly on her intimate relationships. During our long chat inside her make-up van, Bebo laughed, cried, introspected, tried to keep a brave front, as she battled searing questions on her personal travails. At the end of it all, whatever other impression you form of Bollywood's top glam lady, you'll agree the Kapoor girl is all-heart. And perhaps that characteristic has helped her sail through a difficult childhood, career setbacks and a failed relationship. Madly in love again, and being paid heavily in her job, a svelte new Kareena has every reason to glow.

Would it be correct to say you have made it to the top amongst female actors?

Yes, I do believe that. I am the only actress who has done a varied number of roles. A lot of actresses get stuck working in big films and stick on there because that's a safe zone. I have travelled the road not many would have, with Chameli or Dev or Yuva or even Jab We Met. I have worked very hard for this and have received many brickbats too.

Guess all those flops at the beginning of your career must have motivated you to experiment.

Yes, but all those flops also gave me the strength to push myself. All the big films I did never worked. So I had to prove myself as an actor.

Is it true that you are the highest paid actress in Bollywood?

I don't know about that, but I would definitely be in the top three.

You are 27, you could get married soon, and your value will tumble down. We Indian men don't like our heroines to marry.

I don't think about marriage right now because I don't know where my life is going. There are just too many things happening right now. For now the focus is on my work. But then, Kareena is quite impulsive, an emotionally driven person, so…

Have you changed with time? You were known to be quite brash.

Yes, I have matured, I am much more calm and relaxed now. I know what I want in life.

What was your financial condition like before Karisma started working?

Mum was always doing something, she single-handedly brought us up. She has a real estate business apart from other small businesses. It was tough. Though my father is also an important factor in my life.

I think you are being too nice to him…

(Pauses) I don't know if I am being too nice. My mum has never imposed her thoughts on us on how to feel about our father. She has the strength to forgive and forget.

Were you getting financial support from the Kapoor clan or were you left alone to fend for yourselves?

We were left alone to fend for ourselves. But now we see more of our father, though we did not see him often in our initial years. We are a family now.

Your parents are back together?

Well, they were never officially divorced. They have been living separately. They never really fought. Now he comes home, we go out for dinners, we are planning a holiday.

Who's your biggest rival in the industry?

As an actress, I don't believe in competition. Directors come to me because I promise them a degree of performance. The only actress of my generation that I have really liked is Rani. I don't see any other actresses.

Many young ones are breathing down your neck… Priyanka, Bipasha…

I said 'actresses'.

They are actresses…

I only consider Rani to be an actress. (Laughs naughtily)

Back to marriage, no plans in the immediate future? Looks like you just wanna have fun.

I am an emotional girl. I look for an anchor, I look for stability, love, security, happiness, and someone who can be a friend and understands me.

And which of these factors did you find missing in Shahid?

We started feeling that things were just not right. That it wasn't meant to be.

You grew out of love?

No, I still respect him. We lost the friendship somewhere down the line.

That's really quaint, usually people fall out of love but the friendship goes on.

(With tears in her eyes) I hold him in utmost regard, and I hope one day we could be good friends. He is a great guy.

You guys don't even talk to each other?

We do, but it's on a very superficial level.

What went wrong?

I think Shahid needed more time to focus on his work. His career is the most important thing to him, he's completely in love with his work.

Why would someone end a relationship because of work pressures?

Sometimes the dynamics don't come together in the end.

Why is he upset with you? Because you dumped him?

I didn't dump him.

He looks lonely and depressed these days.

(Sarcastically) He doesn't seem that way, he seems to be wooed by the female stars. He seems to be a ladies' man! So I don't know about him being depressed and lonely.

Would you like him to move on and get a girl in his life?

Yes. I want him to be happy.

I think he still loves you.

(Laughs) I don't think so, he hasn't told me that!

The perception is you walked out on him because his career hasn't taken off. Your dad's career never took off as well, you come from that background. You need a successful man in your life.

That's completely untrue. I am a successful woman, I don't need a successful man. I want a man to want me, to understand me, and to love me for what I am. Also, Shahid has the potential to be right at the top. And I pray for that. So it's very shallow of people to even think like that. I have loved him for four-and-a-half years.

And you have truly moved on?

(Pauses) Yes, I think I have.

On to Saif, is he husband material?

We are seeing each other, I am very happy. It's too early to talk about marriage. We've only been seeing each other for the past four months.

You weren't cheating on Shahid with Saif?

No, please, not at all! (Laughs)

Is Saif your final destination?

God knows. All I can say is we are extremely happy. We are seriously involved.

Does his past not worry you? He's had a broken marriage and another broken relationship.

Things go wrong sometimes, that doesn't mean the person has to be blamed forever! He's the most wonderful man I've ever met. I go by my heart and I believe in the present. God has brought me to something, and he will complete this journey for me.

Abhishek Bachchan doesn't want to work with you.

Yes, I've heard that. If he doesn't want to work with me, that's fine by me. Both actors need to have a comfort level. But it's very sad. If a relationship didn't work out, one should not hold a grouse. Maybe he doesn't remember, but he gave his first shot in front of me, and we share that bond. I am disheartened that he doesn't want to work with me.

And if he agrees to work with you, then you'll say it's cool?

(Thinks) Now that's a tricky question. (Thinks more) I don't know.

Why did his engagement with Karisma get called off at the last minute?

It's too sensitive an issue to talk about. I'd like to respect that by keeping shut.

Also, didn't you try to solve Karisma's marital problems?

When two people are in a relationship, they should solve their problems themselves. No other person should get involved.

Right, and if you guys had followed that theory when Abhishek and Karisma were engaged, things may have turned out differently.

(Thinks) I don't know, I wasn't the party involved, I was merely an onlooker!

That kiss in public. Regret it in hindsight?

Those pictures were morphed. We would never do something so demeaning in a public place. Why would we behave like juvenile delinquents?

Generally speaking, is it wrong to click celebs kissing in public?

Yes, it's intrusive. But I would never do something like this.

So you'll never kiss Saif in public?

(Laughs) Why does everything boil down to Saif?

Anything you'd like to say to your fans?

Yes. People should know I would never hurt anyone. Sometimes things in life don't go as planned. That's why now Kareena has stopped planning.