Then came Govind Nihalani's critically acclaimed film Dev, which was based on the 2002 Gujarat riots. The film earned her a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance.
In 2006 came Omkara, Vishal Bhardwaj's Hindi adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello. The film saw Kareena play the desi Desdemona. Omkara premiered at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival and was also selected for screening at the Cairo International Film Festival. Kareena's performance was critically acclaimed, earning her a fourth Filmfare Award.