Karisma Kapoor fondly recalls her protective role towards her younger sister, Kareena, whom she affectionately calls her ‘first baby.’ She revealed how Kareena’s strong-willed nature assured her success in Bollywood. Karisma also shared the origins of their famous nicknames, Lolo and Bebo, rooted in family tradition and a touch of Italian inspiration.
For Karisma Kapoor, being an elder sister has always meant being a guiding force and a protective hand. Long before Kareena Kapoor became Bebo, a Bollywood star in her own right, she was Karisma’s ‘first baby.’ She once opened up about their bond, the origins of their famous nicknames, and how both sisters carved their own paths in cinema while carrying forward the Kapoor legacy on their own terms.
Kareena’s entry into films
After Karisma, her younger sister Kareena Kapoor also stepped into films, debuting with JP Dutta’s 2000 romance Refugee. Speaking at a Harvard Business School panel last year, Karisma shared that she was very protective of Kareena when she joined the industry. She added that Kareena has always been strong-willed and focused, even as a child, which gave her confidence that her sister would do well.
‘My first baby’
During the interaction, the ‘Biwi No 1’ actress fondly called Kareena her ‘first baby.’ She said she has always been protective of her sister, adding with a laugh that along with Kareena, she now has many kids — her daughter Samaira, son Kiaan, and Kareena’s sons Taimur and Jeh. Karisma married businessman Sunjay Kapur in 2003 and they had two children together. The couple separated in 2016, and earlier this year, Sunjay passed away.Meanwhile, Kareena married her Tashan co-star Saif Ali Khan in 2012, and the couple have two sons — Taimur Ali Khan and Jehangir Ali Khan, lovingly called Tim and Jeh. Interestingly, Karisma and Kareena themselves are best known by their nicknames, Lolo and Bebo. In the same conversation, Karisma also shared the story behind how these sweet names came about.
The story behind Lolo and Bebo
The actress explained that her nickname, Lolo, came from her mother’s love for Italian actress Gina Lollobrigida, along with a Sindhi sweet roti called “lolo-loli.” She added that funny pet names have always been a tradition in the Kapoor family — her father Randhir Kapoor is fondly called Dabboo, while her uncles, the late Rishi and Rajiv Kapoor, were known as Chintu and Chimpu. When Kareena was born a few years later, their father decided to call her Bebo, simply because it rhymed with Lolo.
