“I will never wear a bikini” – Kareena Kapoor

In fact, she is furious about stories doing the rounds that she has worn a bikini in Kambhakt Ishq . Kareena protests, “ Maine bikini kahaan pehna hai? In logon ne chalu kar diya ‘bikini bikini’ . I will never wear a bikini.”

Literally speaking Kareena is wearing a single-piece black swimsuit in Kambhakt Ishq and not a two-piece bikini (like in Tashan ) as is being written about in the media.

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Saris have been Bewafaa

Kareena Kapoor debuted with a very traditional Indian look in J P Dutta’s Refugee but she soon switched to the sexy look with films like Ajnabee, Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, Mujhse Dosti Karoge and Khushi. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Ghum got her famous for the glam doll ‘Poo’ image.

The Darshan brothers – Suneel Darshan and Dharmesh Darshan had her wear saris in films like Talaash and Bewafaa , both of which flopped badly at the box-office.

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Gown and out

Off late Kareena has been spotted wearing eye-catching saris at events instead of the western clothes she used to wear earlier. She says, “Enough of those gowns. Why can’t we actresses dress Indian?”

While she sure looks graceful at events in those rich saris, the question is will she be equally appealing to the audiences in the traditional look onscreen, now that she has had a change of heart.

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The Khan bahu factor

There is a common belief in Bollywood that married actresses do not appeal much to the audiences. Even producers believe in the ancient Bollywood myth that once an actress gets married, her fan-following diminishes. While Kareena isn’t married yet she has been unofficially accepted as bahu in Saif’s family which has put more responsibilities on her shoulders.

“Kareena feels very comfortable with Saif’s parents. She has never felt more a part of any family outside her own. Although Saif’s mother Sharmila too wore a bikini for a magazine cover in her heyday, she completely revamped her wardrobe and bohemian attitude once the Nawab of Pataudi came into her life. Kareena now sees the legacy of the Khan bahu being passed on to her. She will not do anything that’ll compromise her status in Saif’s life,” says a friend of Kareena.

While maintaining a respectable family image, will Kareena lose her glamourous screen image that is so deep-etched in audience’s mind?

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Legally bond

So careful is Kareena about her new dress code that she has requested producer Sajid Nadiadwala to not release any stills of her shot in a swimming costume in Kambhakt Ishq . The swimsuit shot of Kareena in the forthcoming film won’t, and legally cannot, be used for any of the promotional clippings on hoardings and television.