Covering Bollywood and the Hindi Cinema

Devansh Patel spoke to newcomer Sonam Kapoor who as we all know by now is going to make her cinematic debut with Bhansali’s Sawaariya.

The countdown of this year's most awaited film and the most awaited debutants have begun. How are you feeling at this present moment?

I am feeling a riot of emotions. I'm excited, anxious, nervous, happy... too many things yaar! Don’t ask me. It's chaos in my system right now.


Your father Anil Kapoor has made his own standing in the Indian Film Industry and is still going strong. Where do you think will Saawariya take you?
You are right. I got Saawariya because I am Anil Kapoor's daughter and that's how I got introduced to Sanjay Leela Bhansali or you wouldn't have noticed me. Mr Bhansali has taken care of everything, right from the strand of my hair to the nail of my toe. For anything that I am in Saawariya is because of Sanjay Leela Bhansali. So whatever happens after Saawariya will hopefully be a little of something that I will put in. As of now I am here because of my father and my director.


Does that mean that you never intended to join films and only because Sanjay Leela Bhansali told you that you look beautiful, you happily agreed?
Yes and that's a fact. I never wanted to join films but because my father introduced me to Mr Bhansali, I happened to assist him on Black. And during the making of Black, Sanjay Leela Bhansali told me that I look very beautiful and should act in films. That's when he came up to me and told me to shed a lot of weight only to be his heroine in Saawariya, the script of a lifetime.

Then how was it to be working with a tough task-master like Mr Bhansali?
I've worked with him for four years and he is not a hard task-master all the time. He is very colourful and an amazing human being and likes to push me and himself harder because he wants me to be the best and treats me like his daughter. For that, I will be so ever grateful to him. Nobody can love me and support me as much as he does. He is like my Guru - my teacher.

The media in London have said that Ranbir is the next Aamir Khan in the making and Saawariya is the next Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Does that make you the next Juhi Chawla?
I would love to be the next Juhi Chawla, she has got the most amazing comic timing. She was also Miss India. I don't think that I will be able to achieve and reach where she is right now but if people are saying that, it's great.


Describe your role and the character you play in Saawariya.
The character I play in Saawariya is called Sakina. She is what love is. Sakina is innocence and love personified. If anybody needs to learn how to love then they should learn to love like Sakina does. She is so selfless and so sure about her love with no questions asked. I am very privileged to get a character with so many layers in my first film.


You never wanted to become an actress and on top of that, you were never trained. Then, how did you face the camera
Well, it's a good thing that I was never trained because everything I have done in Saawariya is from my heart and has nothing to do with training. But I was only trained for one year by Mr Bhansali and a few others. I've worked behind the camera as well and have seen how actors and actresses work. So it wasn't difficult. I also think that I might be having some qualities of my father in me. We'll wait and watch.


Don't you think the competition of Saawariya and Om Shanti Om is becoming more like a thriller in our films?
I think all of this is media created. Gadar and Lagaan released on the same day. Lagaan went to the Oscars and Gadar went on to break all box office records. It depends on how you take it. There will always be talks about two big releases but it's an individual opinion as to which film will thrill more.

In the promos we see you wearing very traditional white and black outfits. Off screen, what are you most comfortable wearing?
I am a very moody person as far as my dressing is concerned and will wear anything what makes me feel good.



We would like to end this interview with a special Diwali message.
A very very Happy Diwali to everybody. Go watch Saawariya, buy lots of new clothes, eat lots of sweets and be good to your family and friends. And burst less fire-crackers as they are not good.