Sonam Kapoor Exclusive Interview: “No, I Don’t Regret Anything”

Sonam Kapoor is always known for choosing roles which are different and have their own voices. The actress started 2019 with a film called Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga wherein she played the role of a homosexual woman in a small town. Though the movie did not set the cash registers jingling upon its release, it did quite well on its digital premiere with everyone praising the powerful performance from Sonam Kapoor.

In a recent interview with STARBIZ, Sonam Kapoor talked in detail about Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, the impact it had on people and what led the makers to not show any physical intimacy between the two girls in the film.

Sonam Kapoor also talked about how critical is she of her own work and the films she missed out on.

Sonam, when you do a movie like Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga where you put in so much effort and the movie talks about such an important issue as well, but still, it does not click at the box-office, how does it affect you as an artist?

You know, for me, what was really surprising was that it did so well on the OTT platform. The only thing that I can see is that people were afraid to go and watch the film with their families even though it was a family film. I just feel that people fell prey to that if I take my family to see it what will they think.

I feel that was the reason and people were afraid to go see it by themselves or what it was, I don’t know but the fact that it has done so well on OTT platforms in encouraging. Like people are really watching and the viewership is very high. I haven’t understood why that has happened. Usually, when a film is well-reviewed and it has got actors that people like watching.

Like, for example, you know everybody says reviews are super important, which I think so but both have to go together. I really don’t understand what it was but the kind of respect I got for Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga was insane.

Does it deter you from taking up such types of roles in future?

The thing is that because of OTT platforms these days, you always have that situation where you know that when you do a film that is a little different, you can always release it on an OTT platform and it will be accepted there. I am always greedy for a theatrical release but sometimes, you know, you do different kinds of films and not always will it work like in the theatre.

Do you think Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is the best film on LGBTQI community?

I don’t know. I think it is more about a journey of a girl trying to figure out who she is, and I feel that is more important to see it from the family’s perspective. Like a lot of people who are connected with me after seeing the film have come out. You know, for me that, was more important. In India, you can’t see a straight man and a straight girl kiss each other.

Can you imagine what will happen if you see two girls kissing or two boys kissing on screen? You know, for them, we are still way behind, you still don’t want to see your leading man or leading girl do it on screen. It makes people squeamish. So, we were like how do we normalise this without making it uncomfortable for people to watch it.

The only criticism that came for Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga was that why didn’t we show more physical intimacy. My director Shelly said that you know because if you show physical intimacy, the film would become about that. It wouldn’t become about the subject. It was so well-intentioned because I did not have a problem with it and she didn’t have any problem with it or anything.

She was like her intention is for people to understand about the subject. We didn’t want people to come to the theatres for the wrong reasons. We want people to come to the theatre for the right reasons. To understand, acceptance from a family is important, acceptance from yourself is important. And love is love whether it is between a boy and a girl, between a girl and a girl, between a boy and a boy.

You said that several girls and boys came up to you after watching the film. Before also, you had shared a video telling people how much efforts it takes behind your looks and everything and that somewhere motivated so many females who used to feel dejected with their looks or their weight issues.

Honestly, when I was younger, I used to look at all these actresses and actors and I was like I could never be that because I was overweight and there were so many things, but then I eventually did become one. Especially now with the social media, there is this pressure that girls and boys have to look a certain way, take a certain holiday or to put certain pictures up. It is completely unrealistic and people go into depression or they have body issues, body image issues, mental issues.

Because there are so many things that they feel like and they get a lot of validation from online and that is very scary. Sometimes you just have to listen to yourself and say that this is how I am. So, if you think that you want to be like me, understand that that is not really me. You have to see that this is who I am like in real life. What you see in the media, what you see on Instagram, what you see on Facebook is not real. I insist on tagging every person who has worked on my look.

A lot of actresses don’t tag people. I was just like, no, everybody who has worked on me has to be given the credit because otherwise, I look very ordinary, like an ordinary Indian girl. It is really important to show people and tell people. I had said it in the post that it takes an army to look like this, it doesn’t come easy. I have chosen this job that is why I have to look like this or want to look like this or I have to look like this if I did not, I did not have to.

So, I don’t want young boys and girls to look at an actress and be like “Oh, I can never be like that”. Then have self-image issues. You know boys be like “Oh I want to look like this hero or I want a heroine like this” and then not end up meeting the love of his life. You know, I just find it a little irresponsible if I may say so and responsible to kind of show the real authentic self about who you are.

Lots of actresses are doing good roles and getting an appreciation for their work. Do you get affected by it?

If I did, I won’t be able to make the choices, because I feel everybody has their own journey. I am not running in any race. I am there for the long run, I want to keep working for the end of my life. I want to keep acting.

If I am constantly like “Oh, I have to do this or I have to do that, I will burn myself out. The more you compete with other people the more unhappy you get. I don’t know if it is the same thing in journalism like “Oh, my article is getting more hits than the other person’s article”. I don’t know about it.

Is there any particular film that you regret missing out on?

Maybe Baahubali. But I was doing Neerja (2016) at that time. It was a long film and, you know, I had to make a really hard choice. Then Tanu Weds Manu (2011) but I eventually ended up doing Raanjhanaa (2013).

How critical are you of your own work? Do you see your films and introspect about them?

No, I do not regret anything. Like, for example, let us talk about Tanu Weds Manu. I feel that at that point of my career, Anand sir just liked the fact that I am very open and honest with him. He liked the way I behaved with him. He said, “I like the way you are, so this film is not working out right now, but 100% my next film I will offer it to you”. And that is what he did.

I feel everything that happens, happens for a reason. I feel Raanjhanaa changed my career in a way and I feel I would not have it any other way. So, I have no regrets where I can say “Oh I wish I would have done Baahubali and Neerja both”.

Baahubali was an amazing film and I wish I was a part of it. I have no regrets in life. Like if I had not done certain films that did not do well like Players (2012) and Thank You (2011) even though they were with very successful filmmakers, but I realized I cannot do films like that. I don’t know how to do them so, you know, everything is learning. I suggest young people should not have any regrets in life because everything can be a lesson.

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