For her latest Bollywood release “Khoobsurat”, she has shed her inhibitions and gone wild in the “Engine ki seeti” song. But she says: “That’s not me. That’s my character. I doubt you’d see me breaking into “Engine ki seeti” in real life. I like to play a different character each time.”
Talking further about it, she said: “I’ve never played someone like Mili (character in ‘Khoobsurat’) before, and I don’t know if I’ll play someone like her again. Just like Zoya, my character in ‘Raanjhanaa’. She was someone I had never played before. I don’t think I’ll play her again.”
Her future projects will also see her in roles different from her past portrayals on screen. “The characters I play in “Dolly Ki Doli” and “Prem Ratan Dhan Payo” are completely removed from what I’ve done so far. I don’t like repetition. I’m making a conscious effort to play characters who are different from one another,” said the actress, who will next be seen in Sooraj Barjatya’s “Ram Ratan Dhan Payo” with Salman Khan.
She admits working with the hit duo has been an amazing experience. “There is so much positivity during the shooting. I can’t describe how peaceful I feel when I am on the sets of ‘Prem Ratan…’,” she said. How different is Sooraj Barjatya from Sanjay Leela Bhansali, with whom she made her film debut in “Saawariya” in 2007?
“You know I am so blessed. In just seven years I’ve worked with the best directors from Sanjay Bhansali to Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra to Aanand L. Rai to Sooraj Barjatya. And Shashanka Ghosh (of ‘Khoobsurat’) is also an amazing director.
“That such a varied spectrum of terrific directors have so much faith in me is very reassuring feeling for me. Their approval is a great validation for me. I may come across as a very confident person, but when it comes to my performances I am extremely self-critical and unsure. I feel I have a long way to go,” said the 29-year-old daughter of veteran actor Anil Kapoor.
She believes each director she has worked with so far has helped her in her journey. “Sanjay and I haven’t worked together after ‘Saawariya’, but we are connected constantly. Every time he sees something of mine on television, he messages me. Rakeysh Mehra is there for everything I do. Shashanka is so protective of me. If anyone says anything about me, he messages me. I am quite blessed with my directors and my co-stars.”
Sonam also feels that from “Saawariya” to “Khubsoorat”, she has got better with every film. “If I started at 1.2, I’ve now gone to 1.7,” she said while rating her growth, and added: “I’m more excited by the journey than the destination. That’s the way I am. I am always looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me.”
My Verdict: ****
