Happy Birthday, Kareena Kapoor Khan: Bollywood's Favourite Heroine@37

Kareena Kapoor Khan welcomed her birthday today with lovely wishes from good friends Karan Johar and Amrita Arora. The actress is all set to blow out 37 candles on her birthday cake today. So far, the past one year has been a very eventful one for the actress, who welcomed her first child with Saif Ali Khan - Taimur Ali Khan Pataudi - in December. Post pregnancy, having worked hard to get back in shape, Kareena has already featured on a magazine cover this year and made her debut on the sets of her next film Veere Di Wedding. As she celebrates her birthday today, here's a look at her life in pictures so far.

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Kareena, nicknamed Bebo, is the granddaughter of legendary actor-director Raj Kapoor. She is the youngest daughter of actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita and sister of actress Karisma. The Kapoor family also includes several other actors - her great-grandfather Prithviraj, grand-uncles Shammi and Shashi, uncles Rishi and Rajiv, aunt-by-marriage Neetu, and cousins Ranbir and Armaan Jain.

This image was posted on Instagram by therealkareenakapoor

As children, both Kareena and Karisma dreamt of becoming actresses. However, the Kapoor women traditionally did not act.

Mother Babita and aunt Neetu had both quit their acting careers after getting married. But Babita supported her daughters' cinematic dreams, leading to conflict between her and Randhir Kapoor. In the end, she won a victory in the male bastion of Bollywood's first family. Karisma became the first Kapoor actress, followed by sister Kareena.

This image was posted on Instagram by therealkarismakapoor

Kareena attended Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai and Welham Girls Boarding School in Dehradun. She studied commerce for two years at Mithibai College in Mumbai. However, she disliked it there and studied only because she was close to her family. Kareena then registered for a three-month summer course in micro-computers at Harvard University in the United States. She later developed an interest in law and enrolled in the Government Law College in Churchgate. However, after completing one year at Churchgate, Kareena returned to her initial plan of becoming an actress.

Kareena made her debut opposite Abhishek Bachchan in J P Dutta's Refugee in 2000. Though the film wasn't a huge commercial success, it earned her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award and she was hailed by critics as an emerging star.

Next came Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai (2001) opposite Tusshar Kapoor. The film became one of the highest earners of the year. Kareena was lauded for her performance. The same year brought with it Santosh Sivan's epic Asoka, opposite Shah Rukh Khan. Her performance received mixed reactions from critics but Kareena received her first nomination for Best Actress at the Filmfare Awards.

The crowning moment of 2001 for her was the release of Karan Johar's Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham which was a huge commercial success. Kareena's performance as "Poo" was well-received by critics and fetched her Filmfare Best Supporting Actress nomination.

Then came a few lean years. Kareena featured in six films in next two years - Mujhse Dosti Karoge! , Jeena Sirf Merre Liye, Talaash: The Hunt Begins, Khushi, Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon, and LOC Kargil - all of which were commercial failures.

But come 2004, she silenced her critics by playing a prostitute in Sudhir Mishra's Chameli. Kareena's performance was well-received and she won the Filmfare Special Performance Award that year.

Then came Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed film Dev, which was based on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The film earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance.

In 2006 came Omkara, Vishal Bhardwaj's Hindi adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. The film saw Kareena play the desi Desdemona. Omkara premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival. Kareena's performance was critically acclaimed, earning her a fourth Filmfare Award.

This was followed by the release of Jab We Met (2007). The film was received favourably by critics and became one of the year's most successful films. Kareena won several awards for her performance, including a Filmfare Best Actress Award.

In 2009, 3 Idiots, co-starring Aamir Khan, became the-then highest-grossing Bollywood film of all time. The movie also earned her a Filmfare Best Actress nomination.

In 2011, she had two blockbusters - RA.One with Shah Rukh Khan, and Bodyguard with Salman - completing her trilogy of blockbusters with the three Khans. The RA.One song Chammak Challo featuring her became a rage and remained on air for a long time.

2012 was less kind to the actress. Three of her four releases were poorly received - Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, Agent Vinod opposite Saif Ali Khan, and what was meant to be her magnum opus, Heroine. However, the year ended on a high note with Talaash, co-starring Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji.

2013 also proved lacklustre with Satyagraha and Gori Tere Pyaar Mein.

However, Kareena returned to form in 2014 with Singham Returns. This reunited her with director Rohit Shetty and actor Ajay Devgn, with whom she had delivered blockbuster comedies in the Golmaal franchise.

2015 was a huge for Kareena as she starred in Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan with Salman.

In 2016, she had a small but pivotal role in Udta Punjab. The film, which also starred Alia Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor and Dilijt Dosanjh, was hailed by critics. Her other release that year - Balki's Ki And Ka with Arjun Kapoor, tanked at the box office.

Kareena has also made some memorable special song appearances. Her version of Yeh Mera Dil from Don (2006) and Fevicol Se (2012) in Dabangg 2 are considered legendary among Bollywood item numbers. In 2015 she featured in Brothers' song Mera Naam Mary Hai.

Kareena and Saif Ali Khan started dating in 2007 and became the royal couple of Bollywood. They are popularly referred to as 'Saifeena.' Kareena and Saif married in Mumbai on October 16, 2012. Saif and Kareena welcomed their first son - baby Taimur - in December last year.

Kareena did not completely detach herself from the showbiz scenario during pregnancy. Heavily pregnant, she walked the ramp for Sabyasachi at the Lakme Fashion Week last year. Post pregnancy, the first magazine cover she featured on was on Filmfare's September issue.

Kareena Kapoor is currently busy shooting for Shashanka Ghosh's shaadi drama Veere Di Wedding, co-starring Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania. Mostly shot in Delhi, Veere Di Wedding releases next year.

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Here's to wishing Kareena a brilliant birthday and all the very best for her future endeavours.