WISH DADAJI WAS HERE

In fact, to this statuette she has added the glittering Zee Cine Award and next month she’ll collect the ultimate coveted honour, the National Award from the President of India himself. Understandably, the teen princess is “overwhelmed”. She confesses candidly that she had never expected to bag the National Award so early. “I thought I had to play an intense role, be swathed in a sari all through 18 reels to wow the jury. It was a distant dream. It would take years of experience...” she trails off with a dreamy look in her eyes. The reality still has to sink it. It seems so unbelievable! “I was in Canada on a concert tour with Salman and Sanju at the time. One day I get this call from dad informing me that I had won the National Award. I was zapped. Even when the congratulations started pouring in I remained in a daze. It was just so incredible! When realisation finally hit me I was ecstatic. This award proves that hard work and sincerity always pays off. I have really been slogging these last few years. And now I have even more reason to continue slogging,” she smiles.

This was a role which had been offered and turned down by every heroine from Juhi Chawla and Kajol to Urmila Matondkar and Manisha Koirala. Everyone of these girls had second thoughts about playing second fiddle to Madhuri Dixit who was undoubtedly the star of the show. Karisma surprised everyone by accepting the role. “I looked at the role not from a star’s point of view but from that of an actress. And I discovered that despite its length there was a lot of scope for me as a performer. It was a challenge to be pitted opposite a great actor like Shah Rukh and match histrionics with a veteran actress like Madhuri. I grabbed the role. I think I was destined to play Nisha, destined for this honour,” she says with the fatalistic insistence of a true believer.

Just like my dadaji. I really miss him, you know. I wish he was around to share this excitement, this ecstacy with me. I admired him not just as a film-maker but also as an actor. His creativity knew no bounds. He never compromised where his films were concerned. I remember as a child going to RK and wondering if one day I would also stand there in front of the camera. ‘Why not?’ my grandfather said when I confided in him.

Interestingly, Karisma started her career with a “performance oriented role” in Prem Qaidi. Despite being Raj Kapoor’s granddaughter, the blue-eyed Kapoor made her debut with the remake of a South Indian film opposite a hero no one had heard of this side of the Vindhyas and proved that acting ran in her blood. But soon afterwards, Karisma despite her undoubted talent, was slotted a glam-glam doll. “That’s true,” she sighs. “I was very young at the time and raring to go. I wanted to do everything I was offered. It was only as I got older and wiser that I realised that quality is important, not quantity.”

However, even with the fluff and formula were films which offered her the chance to showcase her histrionics. Films like Anari, Dhanwan and even Khuddar. “That was an interesting role and I think I acted pretty well but thanks to one Sexy sexy number my performance was sidelined,” she cribs. She got stuck in the rut and it needed a Dharmesh Darshan and a Raja Hindustani to pull her out. “That one film changed everything,” she readily admits. “Suddenly people began to take me seriously as an actress.”

The next big break was Dil To Pagal Hai. Though everyone thought she was a pagal for accepting the role, she’s proved them wrong with a hat-trick of awards. And the satisfaction is greater because she’s bagged the coveted National Award for a film which is most definitely “commercial”. Dil To Pagal Hai was very mainstream. It had songs, dances, drama, melodrama... everything you’d expect in a normal Hindi film. “And by winning the award for such a film I’ve proved that you don’t need to turn arty to win over the critics,” she beams happily. The fact, that she won it for Best Supporting Actress doesn’t make it any less significant. “Just winning the award means that my performance was appreciated and that’s significant. Anyway, didn’t Sunny Deol win the National Award for Best Supporting Actor too? And wasn’t he equally lauded?” she argues.

The National Award has done her family proud. She remembers that when she entered the industry there was a lot of responsibility on her as Raj Kapoor’s granddaughter. She had to keep the family banner flying high. “And I think I have done dadaji proud,” she smiles shyly. Most definitely. Now obviously no Kapoor is peeved with her for breaking the family tradition and forcing her way into show business? Before her no Kapoor girl had dared to step into the studios, right? “Wrong,” she snaps. “Shashiji ’s wife Jennifer worked in movies even after she was a Kapoor bahu and so did Geeta Baliji. There were never any restrictions on us. This was just another misconception. In fact, when I announced my decision to become an actress, everyone from my grandfather to my father to my mother urged me on. The only word of caution my parents sounded was to remind me that I was someone’s daughter or granddaughter only in my first film. After that I was on my own. I had to prove myself as any other newcomer. And I think I have.” There is a thoughtful pause after which Karisma continues strongly, “I’m into acting not because of who I am but because this is something I love doing. And I think I’m doing it well, huh?”

Money was never a criterion with this lil’ star. It still isn’t. In fact, today Karisma says that she’ll do any role— positive or negative, glamourous or deglamorised—if it excites her. “Even for free,” she asserts.

I was in Canada on a concert tour with Salman and Sanju at the time. One day I get this call from dad informing me that I had won the National Award. I was zapped. Even when the congratulations started pouring in I remained in a daze. It was just so incredible! When realisation finally hit me I was ecstatic. This award proves that hard work and sincerity always pays off.

Karisma attributes her passion for the movies, for acting to her genes. It’s from the Kapoors, Raj Kapoor in particular, that she’s inherited her first love, her professionalism. No chalta hai attitude for this actress. Rather any kind of insincerity and nonchalance is frowned upon. “I give my work my 100 per cent,” she says firmly. “Just like my dadaji. I really miss him, you know. I wish he was around to share this excitement, this ecstacy with me. I admired him not just as a film-maker but also as an actor. His creativity knew no bounds. He never compromised where his films were concerned. I remember as a child going to RK and wondering if one day I would also stand there in front of the camera. ‘Why not?’ my grandfather said when I confided in him. ‘Just give it your best shot.’ I took that advice to heart and since the day I first stood in front of the camera, I’ve been giving all that I have to this world of hopes and dreams...”

Karisma's next biggie is definitely Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum Hain Saath Saath. Karisma is undoubtely thrilled to be working with the Maine Pyar Kiya and Hum Aapke Hain Koun...!director but she’s not playing favourites. “I give every film my best shot be it Sooraj’s film or David’s Biwi No. 1 or Shravani Deodahar’s Silsila Hai Pyar Ka,” she says diplomatically.

The teen princess has certainly come a long way and today is in a position to even give her kid sister Kareena who’s all set to make her debut with Rakesh Roshan’s next, the jitters. After all she’s a National Award winning actress now, right? “Right,” she giggles and then pleads, “But please don’t put too much pressure on Kareena. Being a Kapoor girl is hard enough. Now just treat her gently like any other newcomer.”