By Rajesh V. Gaur and Suneel V. Gaur
Sonam Kapoor will celebrate her 26th birthday on June 9. She is someone who simply fell in love with acting. Today she is very passionate about being in front of the camera. Having connections in the film industry does help the star sons and daughters. It has helped Sonam to work with some talented directors at the beginning of her career. Not willing to deny the reality, Sonam attributes her success and fame to her father, Anil Kapoor. She speaks on a variety of topics in this interview.
In your initial days you were fond of direction and assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali?
My first job in Bollywood was that of an assistant director to Sanjay. His mom Leela auntyji told me to become an actress. It was after I started acting that I found it amazing and it became my greatest passion.
How open are you to criticism?
I have always had good reviews and nice words spoken about me. So I don’t know how to answer this question.
Would you like to work with your dad Anil Kapoor?
It’s my dream. Acting is all about reacting. Dad is brilliant and if I act with him maybe I will become as good as him.
Do you check with your dad before signing a film?
Of course. What is the point of having him as my dad if I don’t seek his help when I need it? I think that every child looks up to his parents.
You have done just six films in four years. Haven’t you have taken things a little too slow?
I love taking things easy. If you are constantly taking on one film after another, I feel that the quality of your work suffers. You don’t know what’s going on.You can’t mull over the things that you have done before. You are working at such breakneck speed that you don’t even have time to analyse your performances and see where you can improve.
Do you regret any career move?
I have no regrets. I am too young (26) to regret anything in life (laughs).
Do you think that being a fashion icon takes away from the fact that you are an actress?
I love the tag! I simply revel in it because all the big fashion icons of their times, in posterity, have also been considered to be great actresses. Like Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn, Nutan and Zeenat Aman. I take the tag in a very positive way. I feel proud I have been given an iconic tag.
Which are your forthcoming films?
’Raanjhna’ with Tamil actor Dhanush, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ with Farhan Akhtar and ‘Come on Pappu’ with Akshay Kumar.
Talking about heroes, who is the one actor you'd want to romance onscreen?
Hrithik Roshan. He's gorgeous. There are all these boys in the industry, but Hrithik's like the 'man'. He dances with amazing grace, says romantic lines, fights, sweats and still looks like a complete hero.
How was it meeting Tom Cruise?
You know, I am a very star-struck person. I get star-struck seeing our own Bollywood stars! (Laughs). Even though I see them on a daily basis, I go completely berserk and gape at Salman (Khan), Shah Rukh (Khan) and Amitabh Bachchan! So you can imagine what I felt like when I was within so close to Tom Cruise, thanks to my dad! At the end of the day I am just a normal girl.
What is your fitness mantra?
I am not a fitness freak. Eat healthy, work out hard. Then it’s all right if one gives the gym a miss once a while.