With Delhi 6, she will have two films behind her. With her first film itself she created a stir, everyone took notice and with Delhi 6 the expectations have risen many a fold. Sonam Kapoor, the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, is the new ‘It’ girl of Bollywood.
From being compared to veteran actor Rekha to being called the high priestess of fashion, Sonam Kapoor is now on the ladder to stardom. In a sincere and fun filled conversation with Businessofcinema.com, she speaks about her forthcoming film, being compared to other actors and lots more…
Excerpts:
How does your character of Bittu that you play in Delhi 6 relate to a lot many Indians?
She’s a girl from Chandni Chowk, she is a girl of today. She is extremely headstrong and she wants to do her own thing and wants to be free. The thing is she is someone who doesn’t want to hurt her parents. A lot of Indian people, boys and girls today want to do their own thing but then at the same time they don’t want to hurt their parents. My character wants to be more than who she is.
You have been extremely selective with the roles you choose isn’t it? It’s been quite a while since Saawariya
(Laughs with gleaming eyes) Yes a year and four months. I chose Delhi 6 because it was a noble film, it has a story which is very difficult to find these days, it had great characters, a fantastic director, A.R Rahman and I had the opportunity with actors like Rishi Kapoor, Waheeda Rehmaan, Abhishek Bachchan; it was just perfect.
Do you actually look at all this when you choose a film?
Of course, I have to. The most important thing for me when I choose a film is a good script and a good director, otherwise nothing else matters for me. It has to be a good script; it has to have something for me to do. I can’t do four songs and be happy. I believe in quality and not quantity.
Everybody says that…
No honestly think about it. I worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali and now Rakeysh Om Prakash Mehra and both the stories are different and not run of the mill. Honestly speaking I have the luxury of choice, I don’t have to do things for the money and I am not really interested in being the IT girl at any point in time. What goes up comes down; I want to do good work. I don’t want to be one of those people who look back on their work and go "Oh my god I’m so embarrassed what did I do?"
I want to look at things and be proud of having done that and I am going to try really hard at doing that.
When you say luxury of choice, there are tons of other actors from wealthy or film backgrounds that also have this; how particularly does it work for you any differently?
To each his own. They do what they like and me what I like. I am someone who believes in right or wrong; I don’t believe in cinema that is meant to provoke for the sake of it; that is not cinema to me. I don’t like films that you can’t actually take back from. I want to be part of films that matter. Films that create history, is that so wrong? There are certain films I remember and I’d love to be a part of films like that. Like my favorite character is Rosie from Guide that Waheedaji played. I’d give my arm to play that character.
You are perhaps the only recent actress to be compared to veteran actors from Madhubala to Rekha; a baggage is it?
No! It’s a huge compliment and I am not even a toe nail of what these women are. It’s a compliment and honestly I’d rather be compared to them than anybody else.
You have suddenly become this high priestess of fashion, is it a conscious decision?
(Expressing amusement) Yes, isn’t that weird? I just like clothes and wearing them. People like what I wear and that’s great, but I am not doing it consciously to get a certain reaction from people. I wear what I like and that’s that.
Lastly with your father turning producer and you having worked yourself in production, would you be involved in your fathers forthcoming productions?
You know honestly I enjoyed working on Black and even Saawariya; I was talking to Sanjay (Leela Bhansali) and I was telling him that if ever I do a film with him I want to be a part of the production team as well. I miss it. I would love to be involved in the creative process with my father’s productions, (laughs) if people can act and direct why can’t I act and be the 1st AD?
