7 unknown facts about Kareena Kapoor Khan

1. Kareena was to make her debut with Hrithik Roshan in his home production Kaho Na…Pyar Hai . They even shot a song together before Kareena’s mother decided to opt out. The 83-crore rupee question is, why? The reason, revealed here for the first time,is this: Babitaji thought with Hrithik in a double role her daughter would have nothing to do.

2. Kareena used to be a voracious nail biter, so much so that for a long duration during the initial years of her career she had to use false nails on screen, until she finally got over her nail-chewing habit.

3. Kareena was offered Deepa Mehta’s Water (through me). She read the script, and was in two minds for very long. Finally she said no. Because she didn’t want to face the camera with Shabana Azmi who at that point of time was supposed to play the role Seema Biswas eventually did.

4. Kareena was to play Harman Baweja’s leading lady in his debut film Love Story 2040. After a week-long shooting she decided this was not her scene. When she opted out in the centre of a schedule the Bawejas panicked. Father Harry Baweja suggested Harman’s girlfriend Priyanka Chopra who stepped in to save the situation.

5. Sanjay Leela Bhansali wanted Kareena for Black. But Abhishek had lately broken up with Kareena’s sister Karisma. For the senior Bachchan , working with Kareena would have been awkward. That’s how Rani Mukerjee bagged her career’s best role.

6. Kareena’s best friend when she began her career was Esha Deol. They literally ate out of the same plate. Then it changed. Her best friend for years now is Amrita Arora, Malaika’s sister. The two star-sisters share confidences and apparently tell one another every secret about themselves.

7. It was her husband Saif who inculcated the habit of reading and writing in Kareena. Before Saif, his Begum was very impatient with books. Saif introduced his wife to the pleasures of the written word. The habit is now handed down to Kareena and Saif’s son Taimur who loves reading.