Karisma Kapoor (born 25 June 1974) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films. She was the first woman of the famous Kapoor film family to become a film actress. She was one of the top stars of the 1990s, with hits including Coolie No. 1, Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai and Biwi No.1. She won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for Dil To Pagal Hai and Filmfare Best Actress awards for Raja Hindustani and Fiza. She is the elder sister of Kareena Kapoor Khan.
Quick Facts
| Full name | Karisma Kapoor |
| Nickname | Lolo |
| Born | 25 June 1974, Bombay (now Mumbai), India |
| Age | 52 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1991–present |
| Parents | Randhir Kapoor, Babita (both actors) |
| Sibling | Kareena Kapoor Khan |
| Spouse | Sunjay Kapur (m. 2003; div. 2016) |
| Children | 2 (Samaira, Kiaan) |
| Known for | Coolie No. 1, Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai, Biwi No.1, Fiza, Zubeidaa |
Early Life and Family
Karisma was born in Bombay to the actors Randhir Kapoor and Babita. She is a great-granddaughter of Prithviraj Kapoor and a granddaughter of Raj Kapoor. Her younger sister is Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Ranbir Kapoor is her cousin. The Kapoor family had traditionally discouraged its women from acting, so her decision to become an actress at 16 broke with that tradition.
Career
Karisma made her debut in Prem Qaidi (1991) and had early hits with Jigar (1992), opposite Ajay Devgn, and Anari (1993). Her pairing with Govinda in David Dhawan’s comedies, including Raja Babu (1994), Coolie No. 1 (1995) and Hero No. 1 (1997), made her one of the most popular actresses of the decade.
Dharmesh Darshan’s romance Raja Hindustani (1996), opposite Aamir Khan, was one of the biggest hits of the 1990s and won her the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. As a dancer in Yash Chopra’s Dil To Pagal Hai (1997), with Shah Rukh Khan and Madhuri Dixit, she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. She had further hits with Biwi No.1 and Hum Saath-Saath Hain (both 1999), with Salman Khan. She won acclaim for more serious roles in Fiza (2000), which brought her a second Filmfare Best Actress award, and Shyam Benegal’s Zubeidaa (2001).
After her marriage in 2003, Karisma took a long break from films. She returned in the thriller Dangerous Ishhq (2012) and later in the web series Mentalhood (2020). She also appeared in the Netflix murder mystery Murder Mubarak (2024), with Sara Ali Khan, and led the crime series Brown.
Personal Life
Karisma married the businessman Sunjay Kapur in September 2003. They had two children, Samaira (born 2005) and Kiaan (born 2010), and divorced in 2016. Sunjay Kapur died in June 2025. She lives in Mumbai with her children.
Awards and Honours
Selected Filmography
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Karisma Kapoor born?
Karisma Kapoor was born on 25 June 1974 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India and is 52 years old.
What is Karisma Kapoor known for?
Known for: Coolie No. 1, Raja Hindustani, Dil To Pagal Hai, Biwi No.1, Fiza, Zubeidaa.
Featured image: Karisma Kapoor. Photo by Bollywood Hungama, licensed under CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
