By: Entertainment DeskMumbai | December 24, 2025 06:57 PM IST 4 min readThere was a time in the 1990s when Karisma Kapoor ruled both the box office and millions of hearts. She delivered back-to-back hits such as Raja Babu, Andaz Apna Apna, and Coolie No. 1, before reaching the peak of her stardom with the blockbuster Raja Hindustani. The film not only became one of the biggest successes of the decade but also earned Karisma the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Her winning streak continued the following year with Yash Chopra’s Dil Toh Pagal Hai, a performance that fetched her maiden National Award. Yet, despite her rise, Karisma’s journey in Bollywood was anything but easy. Ironically, coming from one of Hindi cinema’s most illustrious families, the Kapoor khandaan, brought its own set of challenges before she even made her debut.In a viral old clip recently shared on Reddit, Karisma’s younger sister Kareena Kapoor Khan spoke about the resistance Karisma faced at home and how their mother, Babita Kapoor, stood firmly by her daughter’s dreams. Recalling those early days, Kareena said: “When Karisma wanted to become a heroine, many people said that girls from the Kapoor family do not work in films. So my mom, Babita Kapoor, told Karisma, ‘Who says my daughter is any less than sons?’ She then called my father (Randhir Kapoor) and said that Lolo (Karisma) wants to become a heroine. He was actually very surprised. But he completely supported her and said that if Karisma wants to do this, it will be the first time in the Kapoor family. Let’s see what happens, but whatever you do, do it from the heart, do it passionately, and do it with dedication.”Kareena further spoke about Karisma’s early struggles in the industry, revealing that success did not come easily, even with a famous surname. “Many people don’t know this, but Karisma gave screen tests at several places and was rejected too. Many people refused to work with her. Dad also backed out of his support at one point. It’s a very long story. But to cut it short, when my father finally saw Karisma on screen and witnessed her talent and passion, he actually cried, hugged her, and said, ‘You are not my daughter, you are my son. And whoever said you can’t be the biggest star.’ And Karisma truly showed the world what she could do. According to me, she was the eternal diva of Bollywood.”"My mother said kisne kaha meri beti beton se kam hai." – Kareena recalls Babita's words to Karisma when she expressed her wish to become a part of film industry.byu/FactsSpeaker60 inBollyBlindsNGossipAlso Read | Does the blockbuster success of Dhurandhar finally cement Ranveer Singh’s comeback and the Ranbir Kapoor Vs Ranveer debate?In recent months, Karisma Kapoor has been going through a particularly difficult phase following the passing of her ex-husband Sunjay Kapur. The situation has been further complicated by a reported Rs 30,000-crore inheritance dispute involving Karisma’s children and Sunjay’s third wife, Priya Sachdev Kapur. While the legal matter remains sub judice, Sunjay’s sister, Mandira Kapur Smith, recently spoke out in a conversation with journalist Vickey Lalwani, alleging that Priya played a role in the breakdown of Sunjay and Karisma’s marriage. She said:“I had known about them (Priya and Sunjay) since they met on that flight, and I wasn’t happy about it. Lolo and Sanjay, my brother, were in a good place, actually. Kian was born. My brother was obsessed with his kids. I think for another woman to not care about a woman who’s just had a child is in bad taste. To come and disrupt a family is in bad taste. And I will leave it there. I think the world knows what I’m saying. You don’t break up a happy marriage. Not even a happy marriage, you don’t break up a marriage that is trying to work on keeping a family together. When you’ve got a child, you’ve just had another child, you step aside or encourage the man to go back and make it work. You don’t destroy a marriage. And Lolo did not deserve that. Lolo was also working very hard to make this marriage work. She did not deserve what came to her.”Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd