I write this piece about Sonam Kapoor, not as a fan but as a fellow person that respects difference in others. Sonam and I, if there is any room for comparison at all, hail from different worlds in this world. She is opinionated often, and sometimes, terribly misled in her understanding of the world, politics and various seismic socio-political aspects of our country. Like her co-star Kareena Kapoor Khan, sometimes, she says things strangely. Yet, Sonam endears because of her candour and ability to discern a different voice than hers — an art that has gone quite missing from Indian social conversations and chatter these days.

Sonam Kapoor. Twitter/ Sonam Kapoor RussiaSonam Kapoor. Twitter/ Sonam Kapoor Russia
Sonam’s world is filled with wealth, privilege, love — from her family, her sister, friends and now, Anand Ahuja. She delights in dressing up and like Kangana Ranaut, has taken Indian women’s fashion a few notches higher. A clotheshorse, she can pull off anything — be it a feathered, lavish gown on the Cannes red carpet, or an electric blue plastic like dress at the world’s biggest movie jamboree.
As an actor, Sonam has scope for improvement. There is will to do better but efforts are still not quite there yet. She has improved as she has grown, and has tried to diversify as performer. Neerja, Raanjhana and now Padman reflect improvement. As part of a family production, she has tried to carve out a space with her sister Rhea Kapoor. Khoobsurat might bore at times but the character of Milli ‘gets’ what a girl wants. Similarly, Veere Di Wedding, where all its lead characters swear, does not make swearing by an educated, urban woman a ‘thing’. Perhaps, because, it is nothing out of the ordinary; women swear all the time. That part is impressive. A heroine turning producer makes news these days, as their courage is systematically lauded. But Rhea Kapoor, with Sonam as muse, had taken this path quite early on with Aisha — musically solid but an average film.

For someone having watched her films and tracking cinema for a living, I took some time to actually meet Sonam Kapoor. And that was an eventful evening. I first met Sonam for a video interview for an entertainment news website, one that Bollywood usually loves to be featured on. My first impressions were ineffectual as I watched Sonam get ready for the interview, perfectly coiffured and styled, in a lavish and comfortable office space of their film company. As the young, sincere stylist clicked a photo to post on social media, Sonam struck a perfect pose, sighed elegantly and said, “These girls…!”. Looking divine or sighing elegantly or sitting perfectly have never crossed my mind — that is not what I usually want (from life). I also don’t feel self-conscious about my split ends (which I definitely had then), or near absent pedicure. But I was amused at just how naturally Sonam took to looking gorgeous — it was rather effortless, part of her as a person. I did feel a tad bit like an unironed cotton shirt.

And then she tore right into me. Her grouse was with the website that I then represented, for not having controlled the trolling of Fawad Khan — the dashing Pakistani heart throb who was making his Bollywood debut with Khoobsurat. Their trailer launch coverage got some really mean comments. I heard her out, wondering if I should do a self-righteous huff and leave. After all, I had not said anything nasty about Fawad and the internet is open field.

But I held my peace because beneath the sheen and glamour that she so perfectly projected, what Sonam was saying to me made sense. I offered an apology and said we would make amends. A bit miffed, she stated that everyone thought they (Rhea and her) were dad’s credit card brats, and they were not like that. For they made their own money since they were 17 or 18.  She also reiterated that fashion can never be any one person’s bastion and that everyone should wear what they feel comfortable in. An effort was made to cut through the glam diva public image during this conversation.

 Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor says in the past she has done a lot of films for the sake of friendship, but now, only a film with a “good story” will appeal to her.

“I have done a lot of films for friends. Now I want to do films for story. I don’t regret having done films for friends and for me it’s never a mistake. I am like that — I always think from the heart, so it’s fine,” Kareena said.

The actress, who has been part of commercial films like “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham....”, “3 Idiots”, “Bodyguard” and “RA.One”, has also done offbeat roles in films like “Chameli” and “Talaash”.

“I did ‘Chameli’ and ‘Dev’ because I needed to balance myself. I come from a family where I needed to prove myself. I was 21 when I played a sex worker in ‘Chameli’ and I played it again in ‘Talaash’...both have been great films of my career,” she added.

Now that Kareena is to be seen in a commercial film such as “Singham Returns”, is she open to the idea of taking up an offbeat movie at this point of time in her career? “I will but I won’t do it just for the sake of it. I did ‘Dev’, ‘Chameli’ and ‘Omkara’ when I was the most successful commercial actress. At this stage, I will not do a film just for the heck of it, because I have done that,” Kareena said. “I don’t have to prove anything now. The script has to be good.”

Actress Kareena Kapoor is said to have laughed a lot when she saw her actor-husband Saif Ali Khan don the look of a 'sexy woman' for a scene in Sajid Khan's forthcoming movie 'Humshakals'.
A source says that when the actor got ready with his costumes and make-up and came out of his van, Kareena just couldn't stop laughing at him.

"Kareena who was on the sets of 'Humshakals' for a few days when we were supposed to shoot for the cross-dressing scene. She was quite excited to see Saif dress up like a woman. And when Saif stepped out of his vanity van, Kareena busted out laughing and just didn't stop after that," said the source from the production team.

Kareena Kapoor couldn't stop laughing after watching Saif Ali Khan in drag
A file photo of Kareena Kapoor.

Apart from Saif, the movie also stars Riteish Deshmukh, Ram Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Tamannaah and Esha Gupta.
Produced by Vashu Bhagnani and presented by Fox Star Studios, the movie will release June 20.

Kareena Kapoor, sinner or sinned against? As the Friday of reckoning approaches for Gori Tere Pyar Mein, the plot thickens off-screen.

It all began when lead actor Imran Khan and director Punit Malhotra described to NDTV how they were at the Begum's beck and call on set. "She bullied us a lot. Imran has a lot of pictures of me at her feet saying come on, please give the shot. Imran and me turned vegetarian on set because she'd eat vegetarian food and we had to as well," said Punit. Enforced vegetarianism? Oh, how dreadful.

But Bebo begs to differ.

"I had actually said when I had signed this film that I would bully Punit and Imran. I don't think anybody has bullied Kareena Kapoor the way these two have. No director in the history, ever in my entire career. I think that's why I have had so much fun," Kareena told NDTV.

It would take a brave man to bully a Kapoor of Bollywood's first family. That man, it appears, is Punit Malhotra.

"He's the only director in 13 years that I have called sir. Even though I have worked with Mani Ratnam, Raj Kumar Hirani and Karan Johar, I don't call anybody sir. Punit is the only director I called sir, but I call him sir with a lot of care and fondness," Kareena added.

What we really need to hear now is a comment from Kareena's husband Saif Ali Khan for a The End to this script.

Featuring Kareena Kapoor and Imran Khan in the lead roles, Gori Tere Pyaar Mein will hit theaters on November 22.

Kareena Kapoor ends up splurging more than required whenever she shops online from the comfort of her home.

"I am a voracious online shopper. I buy a lot of stuff via the internet because I don't get a lot of time to go to the stores and try on things. I have a wonderful experience," the actress said while unveiling Malabar Gold's online store on Monday.

"It seems I end up buying more while shopping from the comfort of my home. So, sometimes you tend to buy a little extra, which is good, I think," she added.

On the movie front, the actress will soon be seen in Punit Malhotra's Gori Tere Pyaar Mein with Imran Khan. The film will release on November 22.