Kareena Kapoor Khan needs no introduction. One of the most successful Bollywood actors, Kapoor Khan is known for her iconic performances, sense of style, and fitness. In a candid chat with iDiva, the actor talks about her love for food, the importance of embracing your body, and more.
iDiva: You are a big fan of yoga and fitness in general. What’s your diet and fitness routine like right now?
Kareena Kapoor Khan: “Right now it’s a lot of yoga, walking, and boot camp. I like to mix up my workouts because I like to keep changing it around. I don’t want to do just one thing but yoga is something I swear by. I have been practicing it since 2007, and it’s a part of my daily routine.
As far as food is concerned, I’m the biggest foodie any actor can be because I’m a Kapoor and a Punjabi. And I continue to take huge pride in that! I have always been that Punjabi girl and I am sure my fans also love that about me.”
Source: Instagram/kareenakapoorkhan
iDiva: Has exercising and staying fit helped you love your body more?
Kareena: “Yes, I think so. Today, it’s all about the way you feel rather than the six-pack abs. For example, throughout my pregnancy, I felt amazing shooting for PUMA. I was doing yoga, and it felt great! It’s about the way the combination of food and exercise makes you feel. If it’s a great experience for you, you have to do it. I don’t believe in drastic diets now. It’s more about the way I want to feel as a person.”
iDiva: Since you mentioned shooting for PUMA, tell us a bit about the brand’s A/W collection. How do you relate to it?
Kareena: “I think the collection is absolutely stunning. The colours have been loved by everyone, whether it’s the reds, the blacks, or the blues. I love the mood of the collection because Autumn/Winter is all about festivities since there’s Diwali and Christmas, so the colours have blended well. It’s a complete sell-out from what I hear, and I am very happy about the collaboration. When we were shooting it, we felt that it was one of the best campaigns.”
Image Credit: PUMA
iDiva: Which is your favourite piece from the collection and why?
Kareena: “It’s a tough choice but I love the red one because it’s my colour. The pictures look amazing. I also love the fit—everything’s perfect about the outfit. I can wear it from morning to evening so that would be my favourite.”
Source: Instagram/kareenakapoorkhan
iDiva: After both your pregnancies, you have spoken about the weight gain. How did it make you feel about your body?
Kareena: “Well, I have always been that person who has embraced her body in every shape and size. Whether it was during my pregnancy or post-pregnancy, I have owned it all. I have flaunted my bump. When I gained 26kgs, I walked the ramp with my heavy baby bump. That’s why I shot for PUMA because it’s about empowering women rather than making them think that the ideal woman should have six-pack abs and ripped legs.”
iDiva: Do you have days when you look at your pictures and wish you could look that way? If yes, how do you deal with it?
Kareena: “I’m the kind of person who looks back but moves ahead. I am not going to look back and think that’s the way I want to be. It was in the past when size zero became such a huge phenomenon. I did it when I had to play a role. I was only a 26-year-old so it was great for the time. For now, I feel fit and amazing. I am 41 today and I feel good about myself.”
Image Credit: YRF
iDiva: From your size-zero days in Tashan to the present day and age, has Bollywood’s perception of women’s bodies changed for the better?
Kareena: “I think it’s more inclusive now because actors have also become more confident. Earlier, everybody was put in a box and they were told to look a certain way and wear certain clothes. Now, the audience has evolved and with them, so have the actors. Today, it’s more about performance and acting and not just the body.”
iDiva: Have you lost out on a film or been asked to lose weight in order to fit into a character?
Kareena: “No, never. Hopefully not! [Laughs] It’d be really bad if somebody did that. I think it’s not possible for me because I love eating (that’s my whole family background) but I am also disciplined. So I have always striked a balance in a good way.”
Source: Instagram/kareenakapoorkhan
iDiva: Social media can make us feel inadequate in our bodies, thanks to filters and more. What’s your take on it?
Kareena: “You have to be confident about yourself. Filters are for fun; they can’t make you look better or feel better about yourself. That has to come from within. You should just use filters for fun and not because you want to change the way you look. It’s the same way with Botox and fillers.
If it came to me, I would be without makeup all day and do all my work without any makeup. With age, everyone grows old and has a few lines but we have to accept that and love those changes. People are changing, and so is the way we view ourselves. A ‘particular look’ doesn’t work anymore.”
iDiva: What message would you give to young women who are struggling with body-image issues?
Kareena: “You have to be confident and happy. Nobody else in the world should matter. Whether trolls are trolling or people are commenting…these things aren’t important. What’s important is the way you look at yourself. Every human being is beautiful. I don’t like that perfect Botox face or body. I have never been like that and I don’t think anyone should force that sort of look on anyone.”
Social and lead image credit: Instagram/kareenakapoorkhan
