Kareena Kapoor Khan might be a product of nepotism but she has certainly carved her own niche in Bollywood with her choice of films. From making her debut in Refugee to playing the role of a prostitute in Chameli, she has picked up bold themes.

We can’t deny the fact that it was one of the first path-breaking roles. She was lauded for her unconventional choice and role in the film. She was roped in for the role as a second preference, however, it turned out to be a career-defining film for the actress.

It was after Chameli that Kareena started taking up bolder roles. The actor was unsure of taking up the project initially as she was apprehensive of how her parents would react to her playing a prostitute on the screen and also smoking for her part. “I had a talk with my parents and they backed me saying it was a bold theme and would do wonders to my career. And that, if I didn’t take the plunge now I could run the risk of getting stuck in the glossy image that’s been built around me,” the actor had stated in an interview.

Talking about the preparation, she added, “To get into the skin of the character I visited most of Mumbai’s red-light areas at night and would observe these *** workers from a distance from inside my car. I was keen to study their mannerisms, the kind of clothes they wore, and how they talked to clients.”

She went on to add, “Filmon me zaroor dekha hoga. Leki waha to hum Umrao Jaan aur Chandramukhi hote hain. Sachchai kuch aur hai (You must have seen them in movies. But there we appear as Umrao Jaan and  Chandramukhi. The truth is very different).”

We are glad that she picked up Chameli as it redefined how actresses from filmy backgrounds can pick such strong roles and prove their acting mettle.

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