woman, and was particularly drawn to the qualities of her character.

[87] The film received positive reviews and was an economic success, grossing a
total of ₹530 million (US$6.6 million) in India and abroad.[88] The Hollywood Reporter found her "endearingly natural";[89] Sukanya Verma of Rediff.com
complimented her for playing a non-ornamental role since that in Jab We Met.[90] She next appeared in Agent Vinod, an espionage thriller directed
by Sriram Raghavan. Kapoor was enthusiastic about the project, but it met with a tepid response and she was described as miscast.[91] Asked why she
took the role, Kapoor described it as an opportunity to attempt something she had never done before.[92]

For her next feature, Kapoor was cast as a fading movie star in Madhur Bhandarkar's Heroine. Initially skeptical about taking on the part whose
personality she felt to be far removed from her own,[93] she agreed after Bhandarkar enforced his faith in her.[93] Although not a method actor, Kapoor
believed that the intense role had left her on edge in her personal life and refrained from taking on any other projects.[28][94] Reviewers found the film
monotonous, but noted that it was watchable primarily due to Kapoor's performance.[95] Rajeev Masand described it as "a deliciously camp
performance" that was played "with utmost sincerity".[96] Bollywood Hungama opined that it was her best work to date and concluded that despite an
inconsistent character, Kapoor embellished it "with a rare vulnerability and an exceptional inner life".[97] At the annual Stardust Awards, Kapoor garnered
the Editor's Choice for Best Actress, and received additional nominations at Filmfare, IIFA, Producers Guild, Screen and Stardust.[81]

Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan at their registry marriage ceremony

in 2012. In a blog published by The Wall Street Journal, Rupa Subramanya described the marriage as
India's "wedding and social event of the year". [98]

On 16 October 2012, Kapoor married actor Saif Ali Khan in a private ceremony in Bandra, Mumbai,[8] and she gave birth to their sons in 2016 and 2021
respectively.[99][100] Kapoor stated that despite adding Khan to her name she would continue practising Hinduism after marriage.[101] Talaash: The Answer
Lies Within, in which she played the prostitute Rosie (as Kareena Kapoor Khan), was her final release of 2012.[102] The film is set against the backdrop
of Mumbai's red-light districts and follows the travails of a police officer (Aamir Khan) who is assigned the duty of solving a mysterious car
accident. The Telegraph found Kapoor Khan a standout among the other performers, adding that "she brings an unseen mix of oomph and emotion".
[103]
With global revenues of ₹1.74 billion (US$22 million),[104] the film emerged as a box office hit, and earned Kapoor Khan Best Actress nominations at
the Screen, Stardust and Zee Cine award ceremonies.[81]

In 2013, Kapoor Khan collaborated with Ajay Devgn for the fourth time in Prakash Jha's Satyagraha, a socio-political drama loosely inspired by social
activist Anna Hazare's fight against corruption in 2011.[105] The film received little praise from critics and underperformed at the box office earning ₹675
million (US$8.5 million) domestically.[105] Following an appearance in the poorly received romantic comedy Gori Tere Pyaar Mein (2013),[19] Kapoor Khan
decreased her workload for the next two years to focus on her marriage and family.[106] She took on smaller parts where she played the love-interest
of Ajay Devgn in the action film Singham Returns (2014) and Salman Khan in the drama Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015). The former, in which Kapoor Khan
had a role written specifically for her, met with mixed reviews and Kapoor received criticism for taking a role of minimal importance. [107][108] Conversely,
the film was a financial success with a revenue of over ₹1.4 billion (US$18 million).[109] Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan emerged as India's highest-
earning film of the year grossing a total of ₹3.20 billion (US$40 million),[110] and earned the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing
Wholesome Entertainment.[111]

In 2016, Kapoor Khan took on a starring role in Ki & Ka, about gender stereotypes, to which she was particularly drawn for its relevance.[106] Critics were
divided in their opinion of the film,[112] but it emerged a financial success grossing over ₹1 billion (US$13 million) worldwide.[113] Meena Iyer of The Times
of India mentioned Kapoor as remarkable,[114] and Sukanya Verma considered the actress to be the film's prime asset.[115] She next featured in Udta
Punjab (2016), a crime drama that documents the substance abuse endemic in the Indian state Punjab. Kapoor Khan was initially reluctant to do the
film due to the length of her role, but agreed after reading the completed script and partially waived her fees to star in it.[116][117] Udta Punjab generated
controversy when the Central Board of Film Certification deemed that the film represented Punjab in a negative light.[118] The Bombay High Court later
cleared the film for exhibition with one scene cut.[119] Rediff.com stated that the film relies on her character,[120] and Mehul S. Thakkar of Deccan
Chronicle wrote that she was successful in delivering such a strong performance.[121] For her performance, Kapoor Khan received a nomination for Best
Supporting Actress at the Filmfare and Zee Cine award ceremonies.[122][123]
Veere Di Wedding and beyond (2018–present)

Kapoor Khan with co-stars Swara Bhaskar, Sonam Kapoor and

Shikha Talsania (l-r) at a promotional event for Veere Di Wedding in 2018
Following the birth of her first child, Kapoor Khan was persuaded by her husband to return to acting.[124] She was keen to work on a project that would
accommodate her parental commitments and found it in Shashanka Ghosh's female buddy film, Veere Di Wedding (2018).[125] Initially approached for
the project in 2016, the makers rewrote Kapoor Khan's role to accommodate her pregnancy, but the lack of maternity insurance in India led filming to
begin after she gave birth.[126] She liked the idea of telling a story of friendship and love from a female perspective, which she believed was rare in Hindi
film, and was pleased to work with three other leading ladies.[126][127] Anna M. M. Vetticad praised the film for portraying