Kareena Kapoor had only done a handful of films when she was cast in director Karan Johar’s Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001), but it was her role as Pooja, aka Poo, in this film that catapulted her to unimaginable heights. Her portrayal of the free-spirited, young fashionista who always exuded main-character energy not only earned her praise, but Poo also became one of the most iconic mainstream Bollywood characters of the 21st century.

On the latest episode of Koffee with Karan, Karan Johar admitted that Poo is his “alter ego” and revealed how he decided Kareena would be perfect for the part. Recalling their meeting at a party, he said, “She was throwing attitude for no reason. She was 17. I looked at her, and I was like, ‘This is it.…