Sonam Kapoor on Bollywood Movies, Style, Fashion, Love and Crush


Princess Charming

Actress Sonam Kapoor 

An endearing diva, a chic fashionista,and a through romantic, Sonam Kapoor is also delightful as a breeze, finds Medha Shri, who talks to her about love, life and adventure sports. 

(First published in ATELIER ). 






Sonam Kapoor is known for her style sense. 



Even at midnight, Sonam Kapoor bubbles with energy. Her optimism and captivating smile are sort of contagious. Only a few years old in the industry and still in her twenties, she already has the world by its tail. “I would say I have been very lucky. In fact, I am very lucky to have got so much of love from everyone, so many opportunities and such a loving family,” says Sonam, humbly, attributing much to destiny. “Hard work is extremely important but fate and chance also play a role in deciding the outcome,” she believes.
Her beliefs about work also tie in with her romanticism. She is a romantic to the core. She grew up reading cheesy romances, dreaming about her prince charming, in a room full of Tom Cruise pictures and posters. So, when she got a chance to meet her teenage crush, she was naturally ecstatic about it. “You know, at one point when I was a teenager, he was my crush. So when I met him at my dad’s movie premiere (Mission Impossible 4), it was fantastic! He is so good looking,” gushes Sonam. She adds that, in later years, her crush was Leonardo Di Caprio but Tom is now back to being her favourite. “Like any other teenager, I loved Tom and Leo and Brad Pitt. When I watched Interview with the Vampire, I was delighted; Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in the same frame! Isn’t it any teenage girl’s dream, you know what I mean?” asks she in her usual zealous style.

Moving on from crushes to her dream man, she states he has to be, “An absolute gentleman. A great guy. A great friend. Should love food and travel. That would be the perfect guy,” she giggles. You connect to her instantly. Under all the labels of star kid and fashionista, she is just a regular girl. And she loves food and travelling too. One of her favourite destinations is Rome, because of its historical value, rich past, interesting culture and aesthetic appeal. Also because, “there is so much beauty to see and enjoy there”. Well, also because she loves vintage. Her Mausam co-star, Shahid Kapoor, once said that anyone can sell Sonam junk in the name of vintage. She only laughs and says that a vintage piece contains so much of history and heritage in it that it is irresistible. Did you notice the incurable romantic surfacing again?

Well, let us introduce you to a lesser known side of her, the adventure seeker. This delicate looking dame is an adventuresports enthusiast. She loves bungee jumping and skydiving, amongst others. “I like skydiving the best. I remember doing that in New Zealand,” recounts Sonam passionately, “We had to just jump from the plane. It was exhilarating.” She loved it so much that she went back to it again. And while recalling the thrill she makes a point, “It’s an amazing way to discover oneself. I love adventure sports. It thrills and teaches you to enjoy the moment. You know,when you are young you don’t care about mortality, you believe in invincibility... the thrill and the kicks...” She is very passionate about whatever she does, be it sports, films or dressing up.

Her impeccable style sense has made her a fashion diva. From getting offers to wear ‘it’ brands to attending international fashion parties in Paris, Sonam is always dressed for the occasion. Her sister Rhea does help her choose a look or a dress, but mostly it is her own fashion instincts. And it comes to her naturally. “I enjoy dressing up. I love clothes. It’s a part of every girl’s growing up, like all the girls enjoy it. It’s a girl thing, you know what I mean,” she shares. Though she has a reputation for donning high-end brands, she iterates that “brands do not matter so much; the quality has to be good.”
Her magnetic persona has fetched her several fans and admirers. She is used to people rushing to her for autographs and media chasing her, but a few encounters with some unlikely fans – at least she thought they were unlikely fans – have left an indelible mark on her. “This is about the time Aisha released; often little girls about four to fifteen would walk up to me and tell me they love me or that they think I am pretty or that they love my dresses. That was really special for me. I mean the realisation that I influence children too; the whole idea that kids look up to me is very special,” she divulges, adding that it also makes her think of it as a great responsibility. One action can influence so many, “The whole thing about great power coming with great responsibility is absolutely true,” believes she.

She adores her fans and makes it a point to stay connected to them on a personal level through social networking sites (Twitter). She is also very techno-savvy and loves gadgets. “I can’t live without my gadgets like laptop, iPad, phones etc. Today, you can carry your whole world wherever you go. And it’s important to be tech-friendly in this age,” she opines. Talking about gadgets and technology, does she sometimes Google her name just to see what’s happening and doing rounds? “I will be very honest and tell you, yes, I do look up my name. I don’t get much time but once in a while kind of thing,” she confesses candidly. So, has she stumbled upon any piece of gossip? “Not really. Though my mangers keep updating me on it. Nothing too alarming has come my way yet, I am still safe that way. But sometimes they’d tell me ridiculous stories about me,” she adds, “It’s like the 24x7 channels need news all the time. When they run out of it, they start making up fictitious stuff. At the same time, they need us and we need them.”

As you begin to know her better, she surprises you more and more. She is polite, responsible and chilled out. She has no starry tantrums, maybe because she has grown up in a family where her father, uncles, aunts et al were all stars. The stardom is not new to her. And also because her mother made sure the kids had a regular childhood. They went to a regular school, did regular things with friends and weren’t spoilt. Her sister is her best buddy. But it is her mother whom she is closest too. “I love dad, but I am closer to mom. Mom is your, well, mom, you know,” she smiles. Her dad is her favourite actor too. As for actresses she admires Zeenat Aman and Kate Moss.

Ask her if her multifaceted life has taught this multifarious charmer any lessons and, in her signature childlike enthusiasm, she says, “Lessons? I am still too young to comment on that, you know what I mean? I believe in enjoying the moment.”
So what would the mantra of this chirpy star be? “Enjoy what you do, have fun and live it up as it comes. Live life to the fullest,” she announces. Her joie de vivre is infectious; you know what we mean?