Key Highlights:
- Kareena Kapoor shared a collage recreating Karisma Kapoor's pastel multicoloured saree look from 2001's Zubeidaa.
- The tribute came amid promotions for her upcoming film Daayra, releasing September 18.
- Karisma's original look featured in the A.R. Rahman-composed song "Dheeme Dheeme Gaaon."
- It remains unclear whether Kareena wore the actual saree or a recreated version.
- Kareena also opened up about restraining her expressive "Bebo expression" while shooting under director Meghna Gulzar.
A Saree That Bridges Two Eras of Kapoor Style
Kareena Kapoor has turned a promotional appearance for her upcoming film Daayra into a heartfelt tribute to her sister Karisma Kapoor, recreating a fashion moment that has stayed etched in Bollywood's style memory for over two decades. The actress shared a collage placing her own look alongside a still of Karisma from the 2001 film Zubeidaa, captioning it with evident affection for their shared sartorial instincts.
The Original Look Behind the Tribute
Karisma's saree traces back to "Dheeme Dheeme Gaaon," a song from Shyam Benegal's Zubeidaa composed by A.R. Rahman and sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy. In it, Karisma appeared in a pastel, rainbow-hued saree while holding a bunch of flowers, a visual that became one of the more distinctive costume moments of her filmography. Kareena's recreation, worn during a Daayra promotional event, closely mirrors that palette and drape, though it is not confirmed whether she wore the original garment or a version inspired by it.
Why This Moment Resonates Beyond Fashion
Sartorial tributes between actors within the same family are not new to Bollywood, but they carry particular weight when they span generations of a single lineage's on-screen legacy. The Kapoor family has long been associated with shaping Hindi cinema's fashion sensibilities, and Kareena's gesture taps into that continuity, turning a promotional appearance into a moment of nostalgia for audiences who grew up watching Zubeidaa. It also reflects a broader trend of contemporary stars publicly referencing iconic costume moments from Indian cinema's past, using social media to draw direct lines between eras.
The Film at the Centre of the Promotions
The saree moment arrives as Kareena promotes Daayra, an investigative crime thriller directed by Meghna Gulzar in which she stars opposite Prithviraj Sukumaran. The film is set to release in theatres on September 18, and its promotional run has already generated separate buzz around Kareena's on-set experience.
Kareena on Restraining Her Signature Expressions
At a promotional event held Friday, Kareena spoke candidly about being known for her expressive face, admitting she had to hold back her trademark reactions while filming under Gulzar's direction. She revealed she had been eager to deliver what she jokingly called her "Bebo expression," but the director repeatedly reined her in during shooting. Kareena added, with humour, that she ended up compensating by giving close to a hundred expressions at the trailer launch instead, since the film itself hadn't given her the chance.
A Dual Narrative Ahead of Release
Between the personal tribute to Karisma and her light-hearted revelations about working style under Gulzar, Kareena's promotional trail for Daayra has blended nostalgia with candid humour, keeping attention on the film even before its theatrical debut alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran on September 18.