Kareena's father Randhir Kapoor on separation with wife Babita: 'She couldn't accept me as I am'

Some marriages last forever while for some there is no chance of any reconciliation. Such was the case of Randhir Kapoor and his estranged wife Babita. The couple's relationship went through ups and downs. Not many know that they are separated but not divorced, and hence, it's fair to call their marriage an estranged one.

Babita and Randhir fell in love on the sets of 'Sangam' where the two saw each other for the first time. They started meeting on the sets and eventually started seeing each other on chupke chupke dates. But two years down the line of their courtship, Babita started having apprehensions about her relationship as it was the Kapoor family tradition that Kapoor bahus cannot act in the films after marriage. So, she asked Randhir either to marry her or dump her. Babita who was in head over heels in love with Randhir agreed to marry him knowing the fact that she would have to sacrifice her career for the man she loved.

Things were going smooth in the couple's paradise, though Babita had left working in films, this didn't bring any hindrance in the marriage. Randhir was at the peak of his career when his first child Karisma was born until the year 1980 came when his films proved to be a flop at the box office and he was also tagged as a flop hero. Randhir couldn't digest this and massively took up drinking. He got so much engrossed into it that he began neglecting his career. Things became worse in 1981 when their second daughter Kareena was born. The couple began facing a major financial crisis and this took a toll on Randhir and Babita's relationship. 

Randhir reacted on the separation

And finally, in 1987, Babita decided to separate from Randhir. The news spread like wildfire and created an uproar in media. In a media interaction, at Babita's 70th birthday party, Randhir Kapoor revealed why the two haven't divorced each other. He was quoted as saying: "Divorce for what? Why should we head for divorce? I don't intend to get married again, and nor does she. She found that I was a terrible man who drank a lot and came home late, which was something she didn't like. And I didn't want to live the way she wanted, and she couldn't accept me as I am, though it was a love marriage. So it's okay. We had two lovely children to look after. She brought them up in the best way and they have excelled in their career. What else I could have asked for as a father?".

Babita alone took care of Karisma and Kareena

Babita is considered to be the backbone of her daughter Karisma and Kareena's filmy career. She was the one who went against the Kapoor tradition of allowing daughters to work in films. Through the years of separation, Babita had no contact with Randhir and alone brought up her two daughters being strong and independent. Though Randhir and Babita are not living together, they have definitely buried the differences between them and are often spotted on vacations along with their daughters and grandchildren.