Despite hailing from the first family of Bollywood, Karisma Kapoor’s journey to success was far from a bed of roses. She had to endure disapproval from her father when she decided to become an actress, as women were traditionally discouraged from pursuing an acting career in the family.

In a previous appearance on the reality show Dance India Dance, Kareena Kapoor Khan recalled the struggles her elder sister endured while trying to break into the movies.

Kareena shared that when Karisma decided to pursue an acting career, their mother, Babita Kapoor, reached out to Randhir Kapoor, hoping he would guide and support their daughter. Although he initially agreed to help, his support did not continue for long. According to Kareena, Babita was largely left to manage Karisma's career on her own.

She revealed that Karisma spent a great deal of time travelling across the city for auditions, participating in numerous screen tests and repeatedly facing rejection. Several filmmakers and producers were unwilling to cast her despite her family's film background. Kareena also noted that even their father eventually stepped away from supporting Karisma's aspirations, leaving Babita and Karisma to navigate the industry's challenges independently.

In an interview with Simi Garewal, Kareena said that she did not receive much support from her family, and had grown up watching her elder sister go through emotional turmoils. “Despite the Raj Kapoor name, nobody supported Kareena. My mother had to struggle. Lolo (Karisma) would stay up nights and cry. I used to hide behind the curtain and watch. I have seen a lot with my mother and sister. I lived life through them. The way people would put her down. She would cry and go to sleep,” she said.

Karisma made her debut as a leading lady with the 1991 film Prem Qaidi. She was just 16. Luckily, the movie became a box-office success. In a chat with Mumbai Mirror, Karisma recalled how her mother Babita floated several businesses, including a real estate business to financially support the family.