We haven?t seen them act, but they are already anointed as Bollywood?s NextGen couple. Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, who debut in Saawariya, lived up to the hype around them as they walked in, hand in hand, for a press meet in the Capital. She said it was fun acting with a friend; he said he would not let his family down. Excerpts:

Is it scary to start your career by competing with Shah Rukh Khan, whose film Om Shant Om is being released on the same day as Saawariya?
Ranbir: The release of our movie is anyway giving us sleepless nights. On top of that there is this mindless comparison. I?m no one to be compared with him. I?m starting my career and he?s the star.

Being star kids must have helped.
Sonam: Right now, the top names in the industry ? Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai and Priyanka Chopra ? are not star children. The only exception is Abhishek Bachchan. Being a star child has its pros and cons. The entry to Bollywood is easy, but living up to the lineage is difficult. Since our parents are well-established names in the industry, we need to work doubly hard to achieve even 1 per cent of their fame.

Ranbir: I agree with Sonam, we are under the scanner from the word go. But don?t take our hard work away from us.

How was it working with stars like Rani Mukerji and Salman Khan on your debut film? Any hiccups there?
Ranbir: I didn?t have any scenes with Salman, but I got the opportunity to work with Rani. I learnt something new in every shot with her. Working with such established actors only helps you become a better actor.

Ranbir, why didn?t you debut under the RK Films banner? Why Sanjay Leela Bhansali?s production?
Ranbir: We were planning a script under RK Films, but before anything could be finalised, the offer from Sanjay Sir came and it was too big an opportunity to pass. So I latched on to it, and I must say I couldn?t have asked for a better debut film.

How are your parents reacting to the forthcoming release of your film?
Ranbir: My parents are both nervous about my debut but they really liked the rushes. I am confident that I?ll do well and not let the name of my family down.

Ranbir, comparisons with your grandfather, Raj Kapoor, will be inevitable.
My grandfather is my idol, but I am not my grandfather. It is an honour when people compare me with him, but I think it is not right.

How was it working with each other?
Sonam: We have been friends for ages now and have seen each other in every possible foolish way. So there was no discomfort or hesitation. We were free to do whatever we wanted to do as we?ve made a fool of ourselves thousands of times before.

Ranbir: We have no ego, no hang-ups, hence working with her was a cakewalk. Also, Sonam is such a beautiful girl that romancing her on-screen was just so effortless. It came more or less naturally.

Gunjan Sangwan/Expressindia.com