The fourth episode of Koffee with Karan brought together two actresses who are not only related to each other through marriage but have both been considered among the best actresses to come out of the Hindi film industry. Both belong to a family of producers, directors, and actors, and despite their legacy, they have carved their own paths. One of them is a veteran, while the other has cemented herself as an exceptional artist in just ten years. Kareena Kapoor Khan and Alia Bhatt graced the Koffee Kouch, and Karan rightly described them practically as his blood. Alia is like the first child he never had, while Kareena Kapoor has been his best friend for many years. The conversation they had over the course of the episode is a testament to the friendship they share and the respect they have for one another.
What Happens In The Episode?
Koffee with Karan Episode 4 began with Karan bringing up the subject of Alia’s daughter Raha and how much she had struggled initially after the birth of the child. Alia was back on the shoot of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani after the birth of her daughter, and she spoke in detail about the mother’s guilt of leaving their child behind and concentrating on work. She also wholeheartedly revealed Ranbir’s role in taking over the parenting duties while she was at the shoot. There is also a discussion of how Alia and Ranbir adore their daughter just like any other parent would and want to take time to be there for her. Alia was gushing about Ranbir spending most of his time taking care of Raha.
Kareena Kapoor talks about Saif’s relationship with their kids and how she could never play favorites between her two sons. Although Kareena was quick to confirm Taimur and Saif are like buddies, she is more obsessed with her younger son, Jeh. Kareena also spoke about Saif having more time to spend with his children now because his younger days were spent working tirelessly. Sara and Ibrahim are also now closer to him for the same reason. Kareena and Alia spend a lot of time gushing over each other’s domestic lives, and the ‘oohs and awws’ were very much a part of this episode.
All three of them also discussed how all their children get along well, and as legacy kids, they are not forced to be with each other. It reminded Karan of the childhood he led with all his friends, who are now industry bigwigs themselves. Karan addressed the elephant in the room by stating the large shadow that paparazzi have cast over all their lives. Kareena has so far been okay with her children getting photographed, but at the same time, Alia and Ranbir are protective of their daughter’s privacy and make sure her photographs are not published without their consent. Alia was thankful to the photographers for respecting their choice and not violating it. Karan offhandedly mentions how many celebrity couples just like hers chose to keep the identities of their children hidden from social media, and Alia, as a parent, understands the pressures of keeping them away from the limelight in the world of camera phones.
Karan asked the most obvious question that many media outlets tend to ask many married actresses about having to balance work and life post-marriage and childbirth—a question he believes should be asked to men as well. Alia and Kareena dismissed this question as irrelevant because it does not make sense why their work needs to be affected by some domestic changes in their personal lives. Alia and Kareena are professionals, and their commitments are not just to the family but also to the work they do.
Alia and Kareena also discussed being married to actors and how things change between them as couples who work in the same fraternity. Karan also implied there is a fear of infidelity because of their association with many female actors regularly. Alia and Kareena, as usual, were unfazed by the page-three kind of question. They were quick to remind him that coming back home to the same person is a privilege and comfort. Whatever Karan was trying to imply sounded like a gossip article found on entertainment websites, newspapers, and Reddit threads. Alia was also asked about her words being misconstrued, and she was candid about her recent statements being blown out of proportion and requesting conspiracy theory creators not to ponder over her personal life because a lot is going on in the world as it is.
Kareena was asked about her Hollywood ambitions, and she admits to having none. As an actress from the Hindi film industry, Kareena revealed that she is happy and satisfied with the work she gets in Mumbai and is not very keen on leaping over to the West. This lengthy chat was followed by a vibe-checking game, which drew the perception of the larger audience about Kareena and Alia. Rapid Fire was the last segment of the show, and even though Alia gave better answers, Kareena won this round by a clear margin.
Episode 4 Review
The eighth season of Koffee with Karan so far has been the talk of the town, but since the first episode blew up, the noise around the show has come down. It could be because Karan Johar needs to bring different guests and not just lather, rinse, and repeat. The newest episode starring the very talented Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor Khan did not make as much noise as it should have even though they are currently trailblazing actresses and have left quite an impact on the industry. They have cemented themselves as two of the best female actors in the industry and have not let their family legacy affect their stature. Kareena is a veteran, and it took years for her to finally own her place as a female superstar and a wonderful actress. Meanwhile, Alia reached that stage in a very short amount of time.
Koffee with Karan Episode 4 was about all these women owning their success and being unapologetic about it. It is exhilarating to hear successful women, unfazed by the media or the internet, who make judgments about them. Even though Karan ended up asking stereotypical questions about their kids, marriage, and work-life balance, Alia and Kareena could not wait to respond and let him know their commitment to work remained unchanged and that they believe in professionalism. Also, it is high time the entertainment industry stopped putting the onus of relationships on women and put men on the spot as well regarding domestic responsibilities. The episode was lukewarm, but it was nice of Alia to dismiss everyone who had a lot of opinions about the kind of relationship she shared with her husband. Kareena Kapoor was the epitome of zen, and she has probably reached a stage in her life where she is unaffected by what people say about her and her life. Don’t we all crave to reach that phase?
Even though the episode did not garner much attention, there were not many debatable questions or answers. Nevertheless, the women were keen to talk about everything under the sun. Even though a part of the episode was about Alia and Kareena admiring each other as actors and being purely humble because they are related to each other, there seemed to be no rivalry between the two of them. Kareena, at the beginning of her career, was known for having feuds with many of her then-contemporary actors. Compared to the last episode, this one did not evoke fun and banter; it was more like three friends catching up in front of the camera. This season, it seems like the makers have cut down on all the fun parts of the show and resorted to not asking too many questions during the Rapid Fire. The pregame before the Rapid Fire barely has any amusement, an element that is required after celebrities spend time talking about their professional and personal lives.
