Kareena Kapoor's Old Praise for Abhishek Bachchan Resurfaces Online
Kareena Kapoor's Old Praise for Abhishek Bachchan Resurfaces

Kareena Kapoor's old comments about Abhishek Bachchan have resurfaced online, bringing renewed attention to the bond they shared before making their Bollywood debut together in 'Refugee.' Long before reports of distance between them, Kareena had praised Abhishek's talent and suggested he could become a better actor than his father, Amitabh Bachchan.

Kareena Kapoor Praised Abhishek Bachchan Before 'Refugee'

In a 2000 interview with Rediff, given before the release of 'Refugee,' Kareena spoke warmly about Abhishek Bachchan. The film marked the Bollywood debut of both actors and later became an important milestone in their careers.

"As an actor, he is better, at least I find him a thousandfold better… His father (Amitabh Bachchan) is the best, but he is going to be better than the best. I am sure about it. As a person, he is wonderful, he is one of my closest friends," Kareena said in the interview.

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She also spoke about the comfort they shared while working together. Kareena said, "We were very comfortable from day one because he is part of my family and a close friend of mine. The chemistry was there right from the word go."

After 'Refugee,' Kareena and Abhishek worked together in films such as 'Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon,' 'Yuva,' and 'Halla Bol.' Their early pairing made them one of the closely watched young screen duos of that period.

Kareena Kapoor Later Called Abhishek Special

In a 2009 interview, Kareena also talked about a reported feud with Abhishek. She said he would always hold a special place in her life because he was the first actor she worked with on her first scene.

"I have always maintained that Abhishek is the first actor with whom I gave my first shot. To me, he holds a very special place in my heart that no actor and no person can ever take," she said.

Kareena also expressed sadness over how things changed between them. "When I look at him, I look at him with pride, joy and with happiness. It's sad things went sour," she said.

The exact reason behind the reported distance between Kareena and Abhishek has never been confirmed by either actor. However, reports have often linked it to Abhishek Bachchan and Karisma Kapoor's broken engagement.

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