Kareena Kapoor on Harvard days: 'No one could believe I had gone'
Synopsis
Before blockbusters like 'Jab We Met' and '3 Idiots', Kareena Kapoor spent three months at Harvard studying Microcomputers and Information Technology — and her family celebrated so wildly that, in her own words, 'no one could believe' a Kapoor girl had got in. The candid throwback, from her appearance on Rendezvous With Simi Garewal, is a rare window into the life Bollywood almost didn't get.
Key Takeaways
Kareena Kapoor Khan attended Harvard University for three months to study Microcomputers and Information Technology .
She recalled the anecdote on Rendezvous With Simi Garewal , hosted by Simi Garewal .
Her family held a celebration upon her admission — she said 'no one could believe' a Kapoor girl had got into Harvard.
She handled all application formalities herself but admitted she 'used to sit up till 4 in the morning' completing assignments.
Kareena made her Bollywood debut in 2000 with Refugee , co-starring Abhishek Bachchan .
Kareena Kapoor Khan, one of Bollywood's most bankable stars, once swapped film sets for lecture halls at the prestigious Harvard University — and her family's reaction to that admission, she has recalled, was nothing short of euphoric. The actress revisited the memory during an appearance on Rendezvous With Simi Garewal, offering a candid and often humorous account of her American academic chapter.
The Family's Reaction
Host Simi Garewal set the tone early, telling Kareena: 'Your going to Harvard, for the Kapoors, was bigger than you winning an Oscar.' Kareena's response was emphatic. 'Oh God! It was the biggest thing ever,' she said, recalling how the entire family erupted in celebration. 'Everyone was reacting that my niece, my this, my that has gone to Harvard. Kapoor girl, no brains, has gone to Harvard. They all were overreacting. No one could believe that I had gone to Harvard. They all celebrated,' she added.
How She Got There
Kareena revealed that she handled all the paperwork herself — filling out the application forms and making every preparation independently. Her chosen course was Microcomputers and Information Technology. Getting her mother and sister's approval, however, was another battle entirely. 'My mom and sister would never allow me to go abroad, to America, live alone there for three months,' she said, suggesting the Harvard brand name was ultimately the decisive factor in winning them over.
Reality vs Expectations
The actress admitted that her expectations of college life in Cambridge were somewhat optimistic. 'I thought it would be a party. I used to sit up till 4 in the morning trying to get my assignments done,' she confessed. In a moment of self-deprecating humour, she added: 'I made my parents buy me a computer, but I never touched it.' The three-month stint, she recalled, was demanding in ways she had not anticipated.
From Harvard to Bollywood
Fate, as Kareena described it, had other plans for her beyond academia. She made her acting debut in 2000 with Refugee, alongside Abhishek Bachchan. The film launched a career that would span decades and include some of Hindi cinema's most memorable projects — Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Jab We Met, 3 Idiots, Chameli, Omkara, Khushi, and Heroine, among others. Today, her Harvard story reads less like a detour and more like a glimpse of the ambition that has defined her ever since.
Point of View
Not a fallback. What the clip really captures is the class anxiety buried inside the celebration: the joke about 'Kapoor girl, no brains' lands because it names a stereotype the family itself feared. Kareena's candour on Simi Garewal's show was always its own brand of media strategy — disarming audiences with self-deprecation while reinforcing the idea of an actress who chose cinema over Cambridge on her own terms.
NationPress
18 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Kareena Kapoor really go to Harvard University?
Yes, Kareena Kapoor attended Harvard University for three months, where she studied Microcomputers and Information Technology. She recalled the experience on the talk show Rendezvous With Simi Garewal, describing it as more academically demanding than she had expected.
Why did Kareena Kapoor leave Harvard?
The source does not specify a formal reason for her departure from Harvard. However, she went on to make her Bollywood debut in 2000 with Refugee, suggesting that a film career followed shortly after her three-month stint at the university.
How did the Kapoor family react to Kareena getting into Harvard?
Kareena said the family reacted with near-disbelief and great excitement, holding a celebration in her honour. She quoted relatives saying things like 'Kapoor girl, no brains, has gone to Harvard,' and added that 'no one could believe' she had been admitted.
What did Kareena Kapoor study at Harvard?
She studied Microcomputers and Information Technology during her three-month stay at Harvard. She also revealed that despite getting her parents to buy her a computer for the course, she admitted she never actually used it.
When did Kareena Kapoor make her Bollywood debut?
Kareena Kapoor made her acting debut in 2000 with the film Refugee, alongside Abhishek Bachchan. The film launched a career that has included blockbusters such as Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham, Jab We Met, and 3 Idiots.
