WAVES 2025: At the ongoing World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai, Kareena Kapoor Khan shared a memorable encounter that underscored the growing global reach of Indian cinema. Speaking at a session titled “Cinema: The Soft Power”, the Bollywood star revealed that none other than Hollywood’s legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg had praised her film '3 Idiots'.

When Steven Spielberg met Kareena Kapoor

Recalling a chance meeting at an international restaurant, Kareena said, “Even Steven Spielberg is watching our Hindi movies today... I was traveling somewhere and at a restaurant, Steve Spielberg was also there. This was many moons ago, '3 Idiots' had just been released. And he came up to me and asked, 'Are you the same girl who is in that famous Indian film where three students study together?' I said yes, 'I am the same girl.' He told me that he loved the film. I don't have to act in an English film for him to see me. He watched '3 Idiots', so that is our moment in Indian cinema.”

The 'Jaane Jaan' actor expressed that her heart lies in Hindi films and she doesn't feel the need to pursue work in the West. “Films are a passion to me, films run into my blood, I was born into this (film) family. So, never say never, but chasing something is not part of my personality. So, if it has to happen, maybe a Hindi-English film will happen,” she was quoted as saying by PTI.

The session, moderated by filmmaker Karan Johar, also featured Telugu actor Vijay Deverakonda. Kareena used the platform to highlight how Indian films continue to resonate across borders, narrating another incident from a London trip.

Taxi driver in London sang Raj Kapoor's songs

“In 2023, I was in a taxi in London, the driver was a local and he started singing my grandfather's song to me because he had watched all of Raj Kapoor's movies,” she shared. “He sang the song 'Mera Joota Hai Japani' in Hindi. For me, that was really a great moment of pride... I felt the impact. He made me realise the kind of love that we, as a nation, our films, are getting.”

She also pointed out a positive shift in viewing habits: Indian audiences today prefer watching films in their original language instead of dubbed versions, a change that has added authenticity and deeper connection to regional content.

Karan Johar on Homebound

During the discussion, Karan Johar also spoke about his upcoming project 'Homebound', which has garnered international attention. “It was a huge honour for us to have Martin Scorsese be an executive producer on our film, ‘Homebound’, the fact that he had made a contribution to a Hindi language film was a huge honour to hear his inputs,” Johar said.

The film, which stars Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, is set to premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard category. It is produced by Johar along with Adar Poonawalla, Apoorva Mehta, and Somen Mishra, with co-producers Marijke deSouza and Melita Toscan Du Plantier.