Mumbai, October 18, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Before becoming one of Bollywood’s most celebrated actresses, Kareena Kapoor Khan had a stint as a student at Harvard University. However, as the actress once recalled, her decision to study there came as a major surprise to her family.
During an episode of Rendezvous With Simi Garewal, Kareena opened up about her family’s reaction to her acceptance into the prestigious university.
Simi Garewal remarked, “Your going to Harvard, for the Kapoors, was bigger than you winning an Oscar.”
Responding to this, Kareena said, “Oh God! It was the biggest thing ever.”
The actress recalled how excited her family was about the achievement, saying that relatives celebrated the news and could hardly believe that she had made it to Harvard.
“Everyone was reacting that my niece, my this, my that has gone to Harvard. Kapoor girl, no brains, has gone to Harvard. They all were overreacting. No one could believe that I had gone to Harvard. They all celebrated,” she said.
Kareena also explained that the experience was initially meant to be an opportunity to have fun and enjoy herself. She recalled that her mother and sister would otherwise never have allowed her to travel to the United States and live independently for three months.
The Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham actress revealed that she had filled out the application forms herself and handled the preparations for her studies in Microcomputers and Information Technology.
However, the academic experience turned out to be more demanding than she had expected.
“I thought it would be a party. I used to sit up till 4 in the morning trying to get my assignments done. I made my parents buy me a computer, but I never touched it,” Kareena recalled.
Kareena made her Bollywood debut in 2000 with Refugee, opposite Abhishek Bachchan. Over the years, she has established herself as a leading actress with performances in films such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Chameli, Omkara, Jab We Met, Heroine and 3 Idiots, among others.
Her recollections of Harvard offer a glimpse into a lesser-known chapter of her life before she became a household name in Indian cinema.
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