One of the superstars of the 1990s, Karisma Kapoor is known for her intense performances and dynamic dance. Her career blends commercial successes, like Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai, Hero No. 1, and Biwi No. 1, with critical acclaim in Fiza, Zubeida, and Shakti.
Early Life
Karisma Kapoor was born on June 25, 1974, in Mumbai into the celebrated Kapoor family. Her father, Randhir Kapoor, and mother, Babita, are both veteran actors. Her grandfather, Raj Kapoor, and great-grandfather, Prithviraj Kapoor, were legends of the industry. She has a younger sister, Kareena Kapoor, also an actress. Her cousins include Ranbir Kapoor and Riddhima Kapoor Sahni.
Karisma attended Cathedral and John Connon School in Mumbai until grade six. She later joined Sophia College for FYJC (Arts) but left to pursue acting.
Karisma Kapoor – The Superstar
Karisma debuted at 17 with the romantic drama “Prem Qaidi (1991),” opposite Harish Kumar. The film was achieved moderate success, marking her entry. She faced initial struggles with flops like Police Officer (1992), Sapne Sajan Ke (1992), Nishchaiy (1992), Deedar (1992), and Jaagruti (1992).
Karisma first tasted success with Jigar (1992) opposite Ajay Devgan. The success of Jigar led to her pairing with Ajay in films like Sangraam, Shaktiman and Dhanwaan. One of her early hits was Anari (1993) opposite Venkatesh. She first paired with Govinda in the 1993 film Muqabla. The film started her long working relationship with him. Together they starred in films like Prem Shakti, Dulaara, Raja Babu, Khuddar, Coolie No. 1, and Saajan Chale Sasural.
It was the time when Karishma largely acted in comedy or masala films where she has little to do. Although she was not offered a substantial role as of yet, she established herself as one of the best dancers in the industry. Some of her other notable films in this period were Aatish (1994), Suhag (1994), Gopi Kishan (1994), Krishna (1996), Jeet (1996), Sapoot (1996), Rakshak (1996), Ajay (1996), and many more.
Tillotama Shome – A Seasoned Actor
Karisma’s real breakthrough came with Dharmesh Darshan’s musical Raja Hindustani (1996) opposite Amir Khan. The film was a remake of 1965 hit “Jab Jab Phool Khile,” starring Shashi Kapoor and Nanda. Her portrayal of Aarti Sehgal, the rich girl who falls in love with a poor simpleton, Raja, earned her a Filmfare Best Actress Award. Next year, she was paired opposite Salman Khan in the comedy “Judwan” and opposite Govinda in Hero No. 1. Both of them went on to be big hits.
She played Nisha in Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), with Shahrukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit. Her spirited performance won her a National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her dream run continues with her films Biwi No.1 (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999), Hum Saath-Saath Hain(1999), and Jaanwar (1999).
She then paired with Salman Khan in Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge (2000), and Chal Mere Bhai (2000). Both of them were avarage grossers with popular music.
Critical Acclaim
In 2000 She starred in Khalid Mohammad’s “Fiza (2000),” as a sister searching for her lost brother. Her powerful performance earned her another Filmfare Best Actress Award.
The next year she starred with Rekha and Manoj Bajpeyi in Shyam Benegal‘s “Zubeida (2001).” As the lively and spirited girl who rebelled against her family and society, Karisma gave a stellar performance. She won the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance along with immense critical acclaim. She again gave a powerful performance in “Shakti: The Power (2002)” as a mother who wants to protect her son from the violent ways of her husband’s family.
Some of her other notable films include Hum To Mohabbat Karega (2000), Aashiq (2001), Ek Rishta (2001), Rishtey (2002), Haan Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya (2002), and Baaz (2003). Her television debut came with “Karishma: The Miracles of Destiny” (2003-2004), where she played dual roles.
Comeback
Karisma took a haitus from films after her marriage to focus on her family. She made a comeback with Dangerous Ishhq (2012), but the film failed to make any impact.
Karisma has not resumed full-time acting but appears sporadically in reality shows or webseries. She also judged the dance shows like Nach Baliye and India’s Best Dancer. In 2020 she made her OTT debut with “Mentalhood” with Dino Morea and Sanjay Suri.
More recently she acted in Homi Adajania’s mystery thriller “Murder Mubarak (2024),” with Dimple Kapadia, Pankaj Tripathi, Sara Ali Khan, Vijay Varma, Sanjay Kapoor, and Tisca Chopra.
Personal Life
Karisma was in relationship with Abhishek Bachchan for a few years which led to her engagement in 2002. The couple faced a high-profile breakup in 2003. She married Delhi-based businessman Sunjay Kapur on September 29, 2003. They have a daughter, Samaira (born 2005), and a son, Kiaan Raj (born 2010). The marriage, however, was filled with many issues like domestic abuse, control issues and physical violence. The couple divorced in 2016.
She lives in Mumbai with her children, maintaining a private life. Her ex-husband Sunjay Kapur, passed away on June 12, 2025, due to a heart attack in the UK.
Karisma Kapoor on IMDB
