At the WAVES 2025 Summit in Mumbai, Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a story that surprised many in the audience and subtly underscored the expanding reach of Indian cinema. During a conversation with Karan Johar and Vijay Deverakonda, Kareena recalled an unexpected encounter with none other than Steven Spielberg, someone she never imagined would even be aware of her work.
She was travelling, seated at a restaurant, when she noticed Spielberg nearby. This was shortly after 3 Idiots had been released. What happened next left her stunned. Spielberg approached her and asked, “Are you the girl in that very famous Indian film about the three students?” She responded with a smile, “Yes, that’s me.” Spielberg, she said, went on to tell her how much he had enjoyed the film.
For Kareena, the moment was more than just a compliment. In fact, it was proof that Indian films could travel far without any extra push or crossover effort. “He watched 3 Idiots and loved it. I didn’t need to do a Hollywood film for someone like Spielberg to notice me,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Spielberg has spoken about his fondness for 3 Idiots. Back in 2013, during a trip to Mumbai, he said that he had seen the film three times and connected with its emotional depth. It had clearly made a lasting impression.
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani and featuring Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, and Boman Irani alongside Kareena, 3 Idiots was based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel Five Point Someone. It became the highest-grossing Indian film at the time and resonated with audiences for its layered take on education, friendship, and self-discovery.
Kareena also addressed the question of why she hadn’t pursued work in Hollywood. “It just didn’t happen that way. I’ve never believed in chasing things,” she said. Still, she didn’t shut the door on international projects. “If something comes along naturally, maybe a Hindi-English film, why not? Especially when even Spielberg is watching our movies.”
She believes great stories transcend borders and we couldn’t agree more.
