When Karisma Kapoor bust myth of 'Kapoor ladies not allowed to work': 'I did want to work, family supported me'

Actor Karisma Kapoor had cleared the air about the 'myth that Kapoor ladies were not allowed to work'. She also said that when she decided to work her family supported her. She also recalled working in 'harsh lights and reflectors', shooting in '50 degrees, 48 degrees' with blisters on her feet in the 1990s.

Karisma Kapoor ventured into acting when she was 17-years-old and made her Bollywood debut in 1991 with the romantic drama Prem Qaidi, opposite actor Harish Kumar. She starred in several movies including Anari, Raja Babu, Coolie No. 1, Saajan Chale Sasural, Jeet, Raja Hindustani and Dil To Pagal Hai in the 1990s.

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, Karisma had said, "It was a myth that Kapoor ladies were not allowed to work. My mom and Neetu aunty they wanted to settle down toh (so) they stopped working. But then Geeta Bali ji, Jennifer ji they worked in films right up to 36 Chowringhee Lane. So they did work. I think it was only then there was a long gap because my father's sisters they were not interested in films. Toh yeh myth bangaya tha (so it became a myth) - you know Kapoor girls ladies don't work in movies. Then, yes, finally it was me and I was a female and then I kind of decided that I did want to work. And I think the family supported me, they did."

She had also spoken about working in a difficult situation in the 1990s. "We used to work in harsh lights and reflectors. We could barely open our eyes. We had to look down and then look (up) for the shot. So, yes, we worked in a lot of harsh times... We didn't even have makeup van to change our clothes. We would go behind the bushes... ya kisika ghar hota tha (someone's house) we used to knock the door and say 'hum jasakte hai please thoda sa hum shoot karahe hai yaha (can you allow us please we are shooting here)'. There were times where we would shoot in Coolie No 1 and all those earlier films in Hyderabad in 50 degrees, 48 degrees... I would be bare foot and we would be shooting songs ghagra choli, khulle baal (loose hair), garmi (heat), feet with blisters. I think that is the passion with which we worked," Karisma had recalled.

Karisma took a long break from acting after her two children, Samaira and Kiaan, were born. Last year, Karisma returned with the web series Mentalhood.