Kareena Kapoor Khan will complete 25 years in the movie business next year. Her filmography boasts of an eclectic mix of memorable characters and no-nonsense, courageous leads. From Refugee (2000) to Crew and The Buckingham Murders this year, Bebo has had quite a journey. However, despite delivering some fine performances over the years, she is often in the focus for her trendsetting style and glamorous avatars.

The actress talks about her longevity in the industry and how she believes she has a long way to go.

When we asked her about glamour overshadowing acting talent at a recent event, the actress said, “People tend to overlook an actor’s gravitas if you are glamourous. If you see my choice of films, it proves this perception wrong. I have had a glamorous image, but I’ve never looked at myself like that. I prefer to keep my ear to the ground because it’s important for an actor to know the reality of a situation. I am focused on my performance. It took many films for people to take me seriously as an actor.”

She further added, “Today, when a film like Buckingham Murders releases, people take notice because I have constantly been at it, proving myself. That’s also one of the reasons behind the longevity I have been able to achieve as an actor. I have constantly tried to prove myself as an actor for the past 25 years. And I don’t want people to say you have done it all, now what? I have a long way to go.”

While Poo and Geet often walk away with all the glory, Kareena’s comic timing in films like 3 Idiots, Good Newwz and Crew have won a lot of appreciation, along with much critical acclaim for films like Omkara, Udta Punjab, Talaash, Jaane Jaan and The Buckingham Murders.

She elaborated, “In the last 25 years, the first decade went in people assuming that I was Poo, and the other went in people thinking I am Bhatinda ki sikhni Geet. Maybe I am a mix of both. I want people to know that I am an actor who is very passionate about her job.”

Talking about staying connected to the audience, she said, “People like to see me in roles like Geet or Poo more, perhaps because they are more connected to the masses. In the next 25 years, I will try to play more different roles. While I have done films with superstars, which have been hits, I have also had a career that I have simultaneously built to prove myself as an actor. The X factor combined with talent and, of course, 30 per cent of luck is what takes you places.”

Speaking of longevity in her career, the actress reminisced, “At 17-18, it was all about wanting to be in every film. If you sustain for a decade, it’s about reinvention, which is scary in an industry which is male-dominated. Over the years, apart from me, there have been other brave actresses too who have taken big strides. Every five years, I ask myself, what new can I do now? It’s not just about being a part of successful films but leaving behind a legacy. I come from a family (the Kapoors) where I have been challenged because they all are such amazing actors, but I want to leave my mark somewhere. Every 10 years, there is someone new, so how am I going to last? Sustaining yourself is tougher, so I like to make varied choices, be it The Buckingham Murders, Singham Again, Crew or Jaane Jaan, which dropped on a streaming platform. I feel it would have done great on the big screen, too.”