Babita Kapoor, a woman way ahead of her time!

September 29, 2003. Bollywood’s beloved actress Karisma Kapoor, after two failed relationships with Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan, tied the knot with industrialist Sunjay Kapur, almost biding adieu to her career in Bollywood. Alas, the sacrifice didn’t pay off. Love failed the couple and after eleven years of togetherness, they decided to part ways.

This reminds us of another similar story; reminds us of a woman who happily said ‘no’ to a flourishing, lucrative career as she prioritised love above all. And how life changed!

Babita Shivdasani was a gorgeous, successful and talented actress who starred in a string of successful films. Her contemporary actor Randhir Kapoor, who happened to be her childhood sweetheart too, later tied the knot with her, vowing to spend a lifetime of togetherness. However, fate often crafts plans that we don’t even come to guess!

Women’s own place in the world of stardom wasn’t built in a day. Showbiz was never considered to be a great place for them and sadly, even when we are in the twenty first century, such thoughts still prevail at many places. Now travel a few decades back. It must have been more rigid, right?

Randhir and Babita were blessed with two daughters; Karisma and Kareena. However, things were not as joyful as they have been. The reason being a downfall in Randhir’s career and his addiction to alcohol. Finally, one day Babita had to ask Randhir to walk out of her life. He moved out of their home and went back to where his parents stayed (Deonar). Babita single-handedly brought up her daughters; and today we know, she was brilliant at it.

Both Karisma and Kareena grew up to be two beautiful and talented ladies, doing justice to the ‘Kapoor’ elegance. They were blessed to be brought up amidst people who breathed cinema. Acting was in their blood. No one was surprised when they desired to take it up as a profession. However, It is said that Randhir Kapoor, despite belonging to a core filmy background and being an artist himself, was not okay with his daughters pursuing acting as a career.  And why just he? The entire Kapoor khandan never witnessed women from their family stepping into the world of glamour before.

We wonder why Randhir was reluctant to let her daughters pursue acting. Was it because he had witnessed the darkness that hides itself behind all the glitz and glamour and didn’t want his own daughters to suffer that? Or was it a simply protective father who wanted his daughters to stay away from uncertainity? We know not! However, If both Karisma and Kareena have made their own mark in the industry today, we are sure they bow down to their mother in gratitude, silently. Everyday.

Time and again, Babita and Randhir have stumbled upon each other. When Karisma Kapoor’s marriage was falling apart (which it finally did), both her parents stood beside her, encouraging her to reconcile. Earlier when she was tying the knot with Sunjay Kapur, her father left no stones unturned to make the celebration a grand one. And yes, none of them, after splitting, embraced love again. May be, in nooks and corners of their hearts, love is still alive. Moments of happiness are too strong to fade away!

Babita Kapoor, is certainly one woman with numerous shades. The one who bends down to love and gives up a blossoming career. The same person who doesn’t think twice before walking away for a failed relationship, holding her head high. A mother who goes any extent to protect her children from all odds.

Today on her birthday, we raise a toast to her courage, her sense of commitment and to all the times she emerged victorious.

A woman way ahead of her time!

Ranjini Maitra

Journalist. Writer. Reader. Enthu cutlet. Mood-swing machine. Day dreamer. Sandwiched between ‘live life fully’ and ‘lose some weight’. Mantra of life: Love and love more.