When Kareena Kapoor Took a Subtle Dig at Ex-Boyfriend Shahid Kapoor: A Throwback to Post-Breakup Shade
April 6, 2025 — Kareena Kapoor Khan and Shahid Kapoor may have shared a cordial hug at the IIFA 2025 press conference last month, but a resurfaced interview from nearly two decades ago reminds fans that their breakup wasn’t always so amicable. In December 2007, just months after their high-profile split, Kareena took an unmissable jab at her ex-boyfriend during a chat with journalist Anil Thakraney, hinting at lingering tensions beneath their once-celebrated romance.
The couple, who dated from 2004 to 2007 and starred together in hits like Fida, Chup Chup Ke, and the iconic Jab We Met, parted ways shortly before the latter’s release. When asked about the breakup’s cause, Kareena kept it vague, saying, “We felt things weren’t quite right between us anymore.” But the Chameli star didn’t stop there. She added a layer of shade, noting, “He doesn’t seem that way—he seems to be wooed by the female stars. He seems to be a ladies’ man! So I don’t know about him being depressed and lonely.” The comment was a sly rebuttal to Thakraney’s suggestion that Shahid might still harbor feelings for her, which Kareena dismissed outright.
At the time, Kareena was transitioning into a new chapter, having begun dating Saif Ali Khan during the filming of Tashan in 2008—a relationship that culminated in their 2012 marriage. Shahid, meanwhile, was navigating his own path, later marrying Mira Rajput in 2015. The 2007 interview captured a raw moment: Kareena admitted to respecting Shahid but lamented the loss of their friendship, describing their post-breakup contact as “superficial.” Her “ladies’ man” quip painted him as thriving in the spotlight, contrasting with her own narrative of moving on.
The dig didn’t spark a public feud—Shahid largely stayed silent on the matter—but it fueled tabloid chatter and fan speculation. Years later, their dynamic has clearly evolved. Their warm reunion at IIFA 2025 in Jaipur, where they hugged and chatted onstage, went viral, with Shahid downplaying the buzz to Times Now, saying, “It’s totally normal for us… if people felt nice, it’s nice.” Fans, however, couldn’t help but juxtapose that maturity with Kareena’s past barb, with some on X trending throwbacks like, “Kareena’s 2007 shade hits different now that they’re all smiles.”
The episode remains a classic Bollywood footnote—proof that even the glossiest romances can leave a trail of sharp words. Today, with Kareena and Shahid both settled into family life (she with sons Taimur and Jeh, he with daughter Misha and son Zain), the “ladies’ man” jab feels more like a relic of their youth than a lingering grudge. Still, it’s a reminder: Bebo’s never been one to hold back when the mic’s on. What do you think—petty zinger or just breakup blues?
