How excited are you with regards to Khoobsurat?
I’m not excited. I’m nervous. I’ve given my heart to this film. When you’ve had such an amazing experience working on it, it’d be disheartening if it didn’t do well. We’ve worked hard; it’s been a tough journey. But we had a good time. The experience has changed me. The culmination has to be positive.
Is it a make or break thing for you?
There’s nothing like ‘make or break’ for anyone in life. People get many chances in life. If you work hard then eventually good things happen. At the end of the day it’s only a film. Whether it’s a relationship, a job or marriage there’s always space to move on. That’s my attitude. Be a fighter or you’ll get screwed!
Are you worried about comparisons with Rekha, about the film being compared to the original?
No. She’s a legend. How can anyone be compared to her? It’s a Hrishikesh Mukherji film. It was made before I was born. I’m an old movie buff which is why I have watched these movies. I don’t think anyone from today’s generation knows about them. So, they don’t have a reference point. To them our movie is original. The reason we made Khoobsurat is because for my sister Rhea (Kapoor) and me, Hrishikesh Mukherji’s and Vijay Anand’s films were both entertaining and meaningful. People find art films sensible but dark - people are dying, crying. In commercial films you have cars piling up and one doesn’t know what’s happening. I’m not saying we’ve broken any barrier by making Khoobsurat. But it’s a happy film. It’s not nonsensical. This is what is missing in our movies. For instance Guddi is a sweet and entertaining movie. Ditto Anamika. In today’s times Raj Kumar Hirani makes these kind of movies. English Vinglish and Queen were also great entertainers.
What made you choose a less experienced director like Shashanka Ghosh ?
Shashanka is an ad man who’s done some good ads and incredible music videos. He has revolutionised television. He came to me with a project called Alice In Wonderland. It’s been five years since we’ve been wanting to work together but somehow things didn’t work out. When we bought the rights for Khoobsurat, he said let’s do it. We called Sukanya Venkatraghavan to conceptualise it. We got Indira Bisht, who’s a copywriter, to write the screenplay. We got in Juhi Chaturvedi (of Vicky Donor fame) for the dialogue. And we came out with the most beautiful, romantic, clean film. Everyone makes movies either to make money or to win awards. We were just doing it to make a positive film. Shashanka knew what he wanted. We owe our performance in the film to him. He’s so patient with the actors. A film with so much collaboration requires generosity of spirit. You can’t be selfish, it can’t be a monologue. It’s a team sport. It cannot be about you. The captain of our ship was good. He was never rude; believe me I’ve worked with those. Directors like Rakeysh Mehra, Aanand L Rai, Shashanka and Sooraj Barjatya are so polite. It’s a pleasure to work with them.
How did you zero in on Fawad Khan?
We wanted someone who looked like a prince and acted well, someone who looked like a man, a Jane Austen hero. He had to be good looking. There are only boys in the industry, no men. We had zeroed in on someone. But he said he could start only after two months. So we decided to wait. Then my mother (Sunita Kapoor) and her friend told us about this Pakistani actor. They both love watching Pakistani plays. They’d seen his TV serial Zindagi Gulzar Hai. Later, a friend also suggested his name. Rhea said everyone’s raving about him let’s consider him. He sent us his tape and our mouths fell wide open. We were stunned. We sent him the script and he loved it. We didn’t realise what a big star he is there. He’s the Shah Rukh Khan of Pakistan. He’s that popular there.
Did he live up to the expectations?
He’s Prince Charming. We play off each other well. The chemistry is good. He’s calm and goodhearted. He’s smart and picks up things well. At no point did he make me feel small. A lot of people who don’t understand me say ‘she is a spoilt brat’. But Fawad got me in an instant. He doesn’t throw his weight around; he’s more of a listener and a learner. He understood where I was coming from. He understood my insecurities. He’s game for everything and I like to improvise. I’ve worked with incredible co-stars but no one has been as generous and selfless an actor as Fawad. And he has the language to improvise or play off with me. It was like playing a game of verbal chess. I have had the best time with him.
Coming to Sooraj Barjatya’s Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, what made you do it?
I’ve always wanted to work with Sooraj Barjatya. I’ve watched Hum Aapke Hain Koun.! Vivah, Hum Saath Saath Hain several times. I used to watch these movies in boarding school abroad. Every Sunday when I felt home sick, I’d play Maine Pyar Kiya, Vivah or Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (K3G). I tell Karan that K3G got me through boarding school. I had no Indian friends, there were all white or Asian or European. We used to love the dialogue, the lehangas, the songs…. so Indian and so nostalgic. When I was offered the film, my first reaction was I’m going to act opposite Prem and it’s a Sooraj Bharjatya film, where I’ll have to dance in the kitchen. His movies have a certain purity. Prem Ratan Dhan Payo means to receive the gift of love. I loved the title. A lot of people don’t like it but I find it cool. I define what’s cool and what’s not. What’s cool to me may not be cool to others. For Salman, I wasn’t hip…
Really?
Yes. Salman Khan was uncomfortable about working with me in this film. Because dad (Anil Kapoor) and he are good friends. People believe I’ve got this film because dad and Salman are good friends. In fact, that’s one reason I wasn’t going to get it. Sooraj had to convince Salman. Eventually, Salman said the decision of choosing a heroine is never his. And everyone says it’s his decision. That’s not true.
It’s probably the first time, you’re doing three films at one time…
I’m dying. I thought if others can do it so can I. My sister explained that other girls are just heroines in their movies. They don’t have much to do whereas you’re khoobsurat in Khoobsurat, Dolly in Dolly Ki Doli and even Sooraj’s film is a love story. Out of 120 days, I’m required for 100 days. I remember having a fight with the AD of Dolly. I was annoyed that I was required in every scene. And he was like, ‘Ma’am you’re forgetting that you’re playing the title role’. (Laughs) I don’t have peace in life. My career started with Raanjhanaa. It’s been slow and steady but I’m enjoying it.
Would you say you’ve got a new lease of life with Raanjhanaa?
Yes. I started right but somehow I lost my way. I was just 21 ya. When I see Alia (Bhatt), Shraddha (Kapoor), Parineeti (Chopra) and Anushka (Sharma), I marvel at them. I didn’t have the smarts of these girls. They make the right choices. At their age, I didn’t have the maturity. My parents said make your own choices because that’s the only way you’ll learn. We don’t want to be blamed for the choices you make. My parents were concerned about my career but more about my happiness and what I was going to be 20 years down the line as a human being. I wouldn’t have been where I am if I’d done everything naap-tol kar. I’ve learnt from my mistakes. I understand who I am. At 29, you do go through insecurities and complexes because you believe your life is about a certain thing. Dad says you should look at it as ‘acting’ and not as becoming ‘a star’.
Did people start taking you seriously as an actress after Raanjhanaa?
Yes, for sure. Before that they didn’t. After Delhi 6 people were like oh yeah she can act. Then they were like oh she cannot. If my movies had done well, things would have been different. I received a Filmfare nomination for Raanjhanaa. It’s been a slow process for me. But I’ve shown my range. I can’t be typecast. No one can say Sonam can do only this. This is my biggest achievement. It’s not the success or the crores or the reviews my movies have earned. Even if I am a director’s second or third choice, I am a choice. I can do various roles from Raanjhanaa to Bewakoofiyaan…
Bewakoofiyaan, once again put the brakes on your career…
Bewakoofiyan is a sweet simple film. It didn’t do depressingly bad. It was an average in all respects. It may not have been like Raanjhanaa or Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. But if it didn’t do me any good, it didn’t do me any bad either. Bewakoofiyaan was like vanilla ice-cream. But it established a good relationship between Yash Raj Films and me. Yes, it did slow down my pace.
On the red carpet you are this fashionista, on screen you are anything but that. How do you reconcile these two aspects?
I have turned rebellious after entering this industry. I just cannot bear to do what everyone else is doing. Sometimes I’m like I don’t want to shoot in Benaras or Karjat. What I am in my personal life is something else. The audience doesn’t know me. They see me as the girl-next-door. Twenty per cent of the people read papers and magazines or are on the Internet. Eighty per cent see me as Bittu from Delhi 6 or Zoya for Raanjhanaa. I’m not a fashionista for them. I’m a girl from JVPD (Juhu) and I may visit London or Paris for holidays. But for the audiences, I can place a ghada on my waist and walk. I can look convincing in a salwar kameez. If you see me the way I actually am, you would never be able to reconcile my two images. In Khoobsurat, I’ve worked on my accent. I’ve worked on my character to the point where people will start believing that I’m the character. It can be annoying at times. People thought I was a spoilt brat after Aisha, after Delhi 6 they believed I was this chulbuli over enthusiastic girl. After Raanjhanaa, they said ‘she is a bitch’. I knew this would happen. But I was sick of playing the simple shy girl. I needed to play something that had an edge to it.
You’ve earned the reputation of being outspoken …..
I’m not outspoken, I’m plain spoken. There’s a difference between that. There have been times where I’ve not spoken anything offensive. But it’s been blown out of proportion. I’m told that I’d fit perfectly in the ‘70s and the ‘80s. People used to be bindaas then. Everyone is so vanilla today. So correct and diplomatic. It’s not that I haven’t bitched out people. But I don’t have any problems with any actress. I’m the only heroine who is friends with other heroines. Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I can’t have an opinion. That’s unfair. The boys on Karan’s show (Koffee With Karan) have said ridiculous things but it’s easy to pick on girls. So I will show the finger and have an opinion because I know that 70 per cent of my fan following are young girls. I will talk about Baba Ramdev, about LGBT rights. I even went for the signing petition regarding the journalist, who was raped in Shakti Mills. I was the only one who showed up along with Sona Mohapatra. I didn’t understand why no actress turned up when all were in town. I don’t want girls to be sati savitris and take shit. I might come across as mean but I have the cleanest reputation, in that I’ve not done anything wrong. Even if I do, my mistakes are there for everyone to see. I learn from my mistakes and I want others to learn from my mistakes as well.
You recently commented on Deepika Padukone’s dress sense…
I don’t make dumb statements anymore. Who am I to have an opinion on how people dress and how people should look? I should not. I’ve reflected on it. Just because I look a certain way and dress in a certain way doesn’t make me better than others. Everyone’s perception of beauty is different. So I shouldn’t be saying that this one is good looking and this one is not good looking. That’s superficial and awful. I made that mistake publicly and
I acknowledge it publicly.
A lot of bad blood has been created recently, right?
In the past few months, a competing actress has been planting stories about me in the media. My PR called me to say we should trash her and I’m like, are you mad? Today’s news is tomorrow’s trash. Let her say whatever she wants and let them write whatever they want. The only way I can give them back is through my work. When I say something on the show about A or B, they feel offended. But those same people bitch about others. I know what kind of bitching goes around in the industry. It’s just that other actresses are not dumb like me to open their mouths in public. If I feel something I’d rather say it on the face.
Recently, you attended the Ghanta Awards. Why?
I didn’t go there to shut my naysayers. I give a damn about them. I went there because I wanted to say, “Excuse me, I don’t take myself that seriously.” If I’ve done a shit job, I’ve done a shit job. If I’ve done a good job; I’ve done a good job. If I can collect an award for a good job why can’t I collect an award for a job badly done? If you get a bad review it doesn’t make you lesser and if you get a good review it doesn’t make you more. You don’t need to take either of them seriously. You need to strike the right balance.
How competitive are you?
I’m extremely competitive but it’s only to do better. If this person is doing so much then I should do more because that’s what people expect of me now. But competition is not about screwing up anyone’s happiness. No one knows about the films I have rejected, because I don’t have one-upmanship with any star. I won’t call up journalists and give them stories about other actresses. I recently watched Dhoom 3 and Katrina Kaif looked awesome. I was like ‘Oh God! Look at her body and look at her dance’. That’s competition. I told myself I need to dance like that or be better. Because that’s the best. Competition is not about competing with a person; it’s about excelling in what’s out there. It’s not about stabbing someone in the back. You better do your work than bitch and play dirty games. People do that. I don’t.