MUMBAI: If loving yourself was an art form, Kareena Kapoor Khan could well hold the copyright. In a sparkling fireside session titled “Main Apni Favourite Hoon: Not Just a Line. A Mindset” at GoaFest 2025, Kareena proved that her iconic dialogue from Jab We Met wasn’t just script gold, it was a life mantra with staying power.
Interviewed by celebrity host Atika Farooqi at Taj Cidade de Goa Horizon, the actress peeled back the layers on fame, family, and the fine print of self-worth.
“The line changed not just my career, but my life,” Kareena declared. Delivered 15 years ago, when ‘self-love’ wasn’t yet trending, it has since become a cultural rallying cry. “It’s a mindset, not a moment,” she said, explaining how the phrase empowered not just her but an entire generation of women to embrace their truth even if it meant standing alone.
Celebrating over 25 years in cinema, Kareena described her personal brand in two words: “Unapologetically herself.”
From iconic commercial blockbusters to gritty roles like Chameli, Dev, Omkara and more recently Jaane Jaan and The Buckingham Murders, she’s deliberately straddled both glamour and grit.
“If I can’t transform, I shouldn’t be doing this,” she said simply.
On longevity in showbiz, she boiled it down to a cocktail of talent, brave choices, and refusing to ride trends. “Success is not just about staying visible. It’s about staying true,” she mused.
Family life wasn’t left out either. Reflecting on her marriage with Saif Ali Khan and motherhood, she spoke candidly about the importance of mutual respect over sacrifice, calling Saif “a strong support structure.”
For Kareena, balance isn’t about keeping score; it’s about knowing when to step up and when to pause. “Work will come and go but the love you build at home is irreplaceable,” she said.
Asked whether she’d ever remake a Raj Kapoor classic, the answer was an emphatic no. “Some things are timeless. You don’t touch them, you preserve them,” she said, referring to her grandfather’s legendary legacy.
She also gave props to the changing cinema landscape. From OTT to regional crossover, Kareena’s game to learn new languages and new rules.
“Authenticity is the new glamour,” she said, crediting the likes of Jaideep Ahlawat and Vijay Varma for setting new performance benchmarks in today’s hyper-observant viewing culture.
What keeps her going? “Staying childlike. Staying curious. And yes being my own favourite,” she grinned.
From box office queen to boundary-pushing actor, Kareena’s session wasn’t just a rewind of her past, but a guidebook to staying relevant, radiant and real in a business that rarely forgives age, honesty or independence.
