Kareena Kapoor yelled at Dia Mirza at public event two decades ago, left her ‘flabbergasted’: ‘Who the hell are you?’

Behind-the-scenes tensions and ego clashes often make headlines in Bollywood as much as the films themselves. In a resurfaced interview with Rediff, actor Dia Mirza opened up about an unpleasant encounter with Kareena Kapoor Khan in the early 2000s, shedding light on a moment that left a lasting impression. Recalling the incident, Dia said it took place at an event organized by the Sahara Group in Lucknow, where several Bollywood stars, including Kareena Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar, Namrata Shirodkar, and Dia herself, were scheduled to appear. “We were supposed to wear cotton salwaar-kameezes with the national flag,” she explained. “Kareena wanted to wear a ghagra choli with heavy jewellery that she had got specially made for herself. Above all, she was not wearing the national flag.”

According to Dia, this deviation from the agreed dress code did not sit well with the group. “Namrata [Shirodkar] was quite upset seeing Kareena was not abiding with the required uniformity. I told Namrata to pick up her outfit and walk out, so that we could sort it out privately.” However, tensions escalated unexpectedly. “Suddenly, something struck Kareena. She started screaming at me at the top of her voice, ‘Who the hell are you? Who are you to advise Namrata?’ I was flabbergasted and very upset. I left the room, without retorting,” Mirza said.

Also Read | Dia Mirza recalls ‘hard, terrifying’ years of sharing room with her hairdresser to ward off unwanted midnight knocks on door: ‘Had to find a way to survive’

Story continues below this ad

She added that the situation took a surprising turn shortly afterward. “Half-an-hour later, her secretary Jatin [who also happened to be Dia’s secretary] knocked at my room to say Kareena wanted to know whether I was ready. A few minutes later, she was talking to me as if nothing had happened. I have come to the conclusion that Kareena is a girl who does not realise when she is irrational, unfair and loud.”

Despite the rocky start to their relationship, the two actresses later appeared together in the 2009 film Kurbaan. Over the years, their interactions became more cordial. Dia even appeared on Kareena’s Radio Mirchi show, where the two discussed broader topics like mental health, social media pressures, and staying positive in a fast-paced world.