Who was more popular between Kajol and Karishma during late 90s?

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Posted: 2 years ago

I am not asking about today because obviously Kajol is the bigger star and has a much bigger legacy than Karishma. But who was more popular in the late 90s?


Karishma was the number one in 96, and maybe 97 as well. Kajol was the number 1 in 98, and maybe 95 as well. Ash was the number one in 99, Karishma coming a close second and then Kajol. Overall they were neck to neck in the late 90s.


Kajol has 2 ATBBs, Karishma has 1 ATBB, and both have plenty of hits / superhits. I think Karishma managed to do well with multiple actors while Kajol was mostly associated with SRK. Kajol's films however stood the test of time and that's another reason why she is still popular today. But Kajol was never a stylish or hot, while Karishma was the male fantasy of the late 90s.


Overall who was more popular?

Posted: 2 years ago

Kajol for sure, why is this even a ques?


Karisma was never the #1 ... It was Madhuri in 96 and 97..

Posted: 2 years ago

It was a close contest in late 90s. Karishma was definitely #1 in 1996 thanks to Raja Hindustani and Jeet. And cemented her position further with DTPH next year. 

She also had a good 1999 with Biwi no.1 and HSSH.

Amused if someone says she was never #1. She won National award too.

Her films with Govinda were also popular.

But perhaps the films she did with Govinda, Sunil, Akshay kinda made sure she was denied her due and had more of mass appeal than class appeal.

Whereas Kajol got more credit as she primarily did films with big banners and big stars. She was on top in 1998. 

But gave it up to get married and her films in 1999 or 2000 did not do well at all. Karishma did better than Kajol in 1999 and 2000 with hits like Biwi no1, HSSH, Dulhan Hum le jayenge, Fiza. 

Just because Karishma is nowhere now it does not mean she was nowhere in 90s either.

Karishma had more of masala actor or sex appeal image. Kajol was more popular among those who liked girl next door or homely image heroines. 

Madhuri had a disastrous 1996, 1998, 1999. Only DTPH and Raja saved her in 1997 and even in DTPH Karishma stole her thunder. Madhuri had begun to decline by mid 90s. 

Karishma is perceived less popular today only because she never got support from YRF or Dharma type big banners nor worked with SRK and Aamir much except 1 or 2 films. She worked more with Salman. Her films with Govinda, Sunil Shetty, Ajay probably led to image of a less than A list actor or some downmarket content which is why she stopped working with them after success of Raja Hindustani and DTPH. 

Her popularity among masses was more than popularity among family audience unlike Kajol who was more popular with family audience due to DDLJ, KKHH and PKTDK, PTHT and  a girl next door image with less skin show, less double meaning songs. 

Karishma's songs in Govinda films often caused controversy. Like that Sexy sexy song whose lyrics had to be changed after backlash. 

That may have given popularity to her among masses but dented her image among family audience. 

She redeemed her image with Raja Hindustani, DTPH, HSSH, Biwi no. 1, Fiza but had begun to get older and younger lot like Ash, Rani, Preity began to take centrestage. She again faltered doing faltu films like Jaanwar or Shakti or Aashiq. Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge is her only good family film in 2000. 

She disappeared after marriage and was in news only for controversies (like broken engagement with Abhishek) later. 

Her looks have deteriorated now and still no one gives her any work. Obviously her popularity and stardom feel less now. That said her ATBB rode on her shoulders alone. She never had to rely on specific pairing except Govinda. 

Kajol's masala films, non Khan films, non YRF/Dharma films hardly did as well as her films with Khans and big banners. Pyar Toh Hona Hi Tha and Gupt are exceptions though. She tried masala films too with Ajay (Gundaraj etc) but did not succeed at all. I still remember that failed attempt to copy Tu cheez badi hai mast mast by Ajay and Kajol in a forgotten masala film. 

She is lucky 90s was era of family films so she was liked more. While actresses who did hot numbers or innuendo type songs got labelled as masala actors or downmarket.

Good for her. Khans and big banners rarely working with Karishma and Raveena made it easier for Kajol to ward off competition despite the other two being hotter and more glamourous, good looking than her. 

Kajol would never be perceived as having better 2000s if she did not have K3G in 2001 in which Khan, Dharma, YRF kripa saved her again. All her post marriage hits are Khan films. K3G, Fanaa, Dilwale, MNIK or multi starrers (K3G, Dilwale). Otherwise failure of U Me Aur Hum, Dil kya kare and several other films shows how popular she is on her own. 

Subtract SRK, other Khans, YRF, Dharma kripa from her career, Kajol has hardly any BO pull except in 1998 when she did manage hit like Pyar Toh Hona hi tha without a Khan or a multi starrer. 

Karishma's Raja Hindustani has not aged well and is not as iconic as HAHK or DDLJ. Content wise her script sense was always average. As an actor Kajol is better than Karishma for sure. 

Popularity was neck to neck in late 90s. But Kajol seems more popular now due to Karishma disappearing after marriage and Kajol having 3-4 more hits with Khans and big banners after 2000. Kajol also looks the best among all 90s actresses for her age now. That perhaps alters perception of past popularity as well. 

Edited by atominis - 2 years ago
Posted: 2 years ago

Kajol but I like Karishma more 

Posted: 2 years ago

Karishma had acting and dancing skills 👍🏼

Posted: 2 years ago

Kajol. But I think Karishma more among the men.

Posted: 2 years ago
Originally posted by SRK_Deewani92


Karishma had acting and dancing skills 👍🏼


Of course. Her biggest plus point which gave her edge over Kajol and many others was dancing skills. Not a mean feat to match steps with a dancing legend like Govinda when most new heroines were scared to dance with Govinda as they felt they would not be able to keep up with his dance steps and energy. 

Madhuri, Karishma, Raveena are the only ones who matched dance steps with Govinda well. And to some extent Neelam. Others almost struggled to keep up with him and their movements looked more like desperate attempt to keep pace with Govinda's movements. 

Dance and comic timing go a long way in cementing appeal among masses. Her songs like Baby baby mujhe log bolein, Sundara Sundara, Jhanjhariya, Main albeli, all songs of Raja Hindustani, Tu mera hero no. 1 played in all countdowns, stayed on top of charts for months. 

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