Kapoor followed her success in Bodyguard and Ra.One with a role in Shakun Batra's directorial debut Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu (2012) opposite Imran Khan. Set in Las Vegas, the romantic comedy follows the story of two strangers who get married one night after getting drunk. She played Riana Braganza, a carefree young woman, and was particularly drawn to the qualities of her character: "Riana knows what she is doing. Even though she does not have a house or a job, she is a positive person [...] very similar to the way I am."[78] The film received positive reviews and was an economic success, grossing a total of ₹530 million (US$7.9 million) in India and abroad.[79] The Hollywood Reporter found her "endearingly natural";[80] Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com asserted that "after doing ornamental roles in films like Bodyguard and Ra.One, it is nice to see the spunky actress in her element again since Jab We Met."[81] She next appeared in Agent Vinod, an espionage thriller directed by Sriram Raghavan. Kapoor was enthusiastic about the project, but it met with a tepid response and she was described as miscast.[82] When asked why she had taken the role, Kapoor described it as an opportunity to attempt something she had never done before.[83]
For her next feature, Kapoor was cast as the protagonist of Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine, a drama revolving around the Bollywood film industry. Originally the first choice for the role, Kapoor was hesitant to take on the project when Bhandarkar approached her with the film's initial concept.[84] With reservations about the criticism her character might evoke, she was replaced by Aishwarya Rai.[84] Days after production began, Rai left the film (due to her pregnancy) and Bhandarkar re-approached Kapoor with the film. When the director reinforced his faith in her, she agreed to do the film after having read the completed script.[84] Kapoor (who described her character of Mahi Arora—a fading star—as "bipolar and schizophrenic") refrained from taking on any other projects, since she found Heroine "very aggressive and tiring".[85] Reviewers found the film to be "drably monotonous", but noted that it was watchable primarily due to Kapoor's performance.[86] Rajeev Masand described it as "a deliciously camp performance," played "with utmost sincerity".[87] Bollywood Hungama opined that it was her best work to date and concluded that "[t]hough her character is inconsistent [...] Kareena furnishes the heroine's character with a rare vulnerability and an exceptional inner life."[88] At the annual Stardust Awards, Kapoor garnered the Editor's Choice for Best Actress, and received additional nominations at Filmfare, IIFA, Producers Guild, Screen and Stardust.[71]
Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor pose for the camera
Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan at their registry marriage ceremony in 2012. In a blog published by The Wall Street Journal, Rupa Subramanya described the marriage as India's "wedding and social event of the year".[89]
On 16 October 2012, Kapoor married actor Saif Ali Khan in a private ceremony in Bandra, Mumbai, and a reception was later held at The Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and the Lutyens Bungalow Zone in Mumbai and Delhi respectively.[8] Kapoor stated that despite adding Khan to her name she would continue practising Hinduism after her marriage.[90] At the end of the year, she co-starred alongside Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji as the "tantalisingly seductive prostitute" Rosie, in Reema Kagti's crime mystery Talaash: The Answer Lies Within.[91] Set against the backdrop of Mumbai's red-light districts, it follows the travails of its personnel and principal, Inspector Surjan Singh Shekhawat (Khan) who is assigned the duty of solving a mysterious car accident. Pratim D. Gupta of The Telegraph found Kapoor to be a standout among the ensemble, adding that "she brings an unseen mix of oomph and emotion that becomes the [film's] centrepiece".[92] With global revenues of ₹1.74 billion (US$26 million),[93] the film emerged as a box office hit, and earned Kapoor Best Actress nominations at the Screen, Stardust and Zee Cine award ceremonies.[71]
In 2013, Kapoor collaborated with Ajay Devgan for the fourth time (alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee and Amrita Rao) in Prakash Jha's Satyagraha, an ensemble socio-political drama loosely inspired by social activist Anna Hazare's fight against corruption in 2011.[94] The film was highly anticipated by trade journalists due to its release coinciding with the Mumbai and Delhi gang rape public protests, and Kapoor hoped that the film would help inspire people to stop violence against women in India.[95][96] Satyagraha received little praise from critics and underperformed at the box office earning ₹675 million (US$10 million) domestically.[97] A review in the Daily News and Analysis noted that Kapoor's role as reporter Yasmin Ahmed was "limited to mouthing a few 'important' dialogues and being present in crucial scenes like any leading lady".[94]
Following an appearance in the poorly received romantic comedy Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (2013),[17] Kapoor decreased her workload for the next two years to focus on her marriage and family.[98] She took on smaller parts where she played the love-interest of Ajay Devgan and Salman Khan in the dramas Singham Returns (2014) and Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015) respectively. Singham Returns served as a sequel to the 2011 film Singham and Kapoor's role was written specifically for her by Rohit Shetty—the third time the pair collaborated.[99] Reviews for the film were generally mixed with Kapoor being criticized for taking a role of minimal importance,[100] but the film was a financial success with a revenue of over ₹1.4 billion (US$21 million).[101] Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan emerged as India's highest-earning film of the year grossing a total of ₹3.20 billion (US$48 million),[102] and earned the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at the 63rd National Film Awards.[103]
2016–present: Recent work[edit]
Kareena Kapoor and Alia Bhatt posing together
Kapoor with co-star Alia Bhatt at a promotional event for Udta Punjab in 2016
The following year, Kapoor took on a starring role opposite Arjun Kapoor in Ki & Ka, a romantic comedy about gender stereotypes from the writer-director R. Balki. She was cast as the ambitious and career-oriented Kia, and was particularly drawn to the project for its relevance and novel concept.[98] Upon release, critics were divided in their opinion of the film,[104] but with a worldwide gross of over ₹1 billion (US$15 million) the film was a financial success.[105] Meena Iyer of The Times of India mentioned Kapoor as "terrific"[106] and Sukanya Verma considered the actress to be the film's prime asset noting her ease at "smoothly transition[ing] between fragile and volatile to reveal a woman comfortable in her own skin, unapologetic about living life on her terms and never missing an occasion to mince words."[107]
Kapoor next played the supporting role of Dr. Preet Sahani in Abhishek Chaubey's critically acclaimed Udta Punjab (2016), a crime drama that documents the substance abuse endemic in the Indian state of Punjab. Co-starring alongside Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh, Kapoor was initially reluctant to do the film due to the length of her role, but agreed after having read the completed script and waived half of her fees to star in it.[108][109] Udta Punjab generated controversy when the Central Board of Film Certification deemed that the film represented Punjab in a negative light and demanded extensive censorship before its theatrical release.[110] The Bombay High Court later cleared the film for exhibition with one scene cut.[111] In a highly positive review, Rediff.com stated that despite being "the narrative’s most conventional character," the film "greatly relies on [her] for warmth and virtue"[112] and Mehul S. Thakkar of The Deccan Chronicle wrote that she was successful in "deliver[ing] a strong and hard hitting performance."[113]
As of June 2016, Kapoor has committed to play the lead role in Shashanka Ghosh's Veere Di Wedding, a romantic comedy co-starring Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania about four girls who embark on a trip from Delhi to Europe.[114]
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