On October 28th, 2007, Hindustan Times printed an small interview with Sonam Kapoor for their Magazine BRUNCH. We finally got our hands on a copy:

At 86 kg, Sonam Kapoor didn't for a moment think she would ever become an actress. But life and Sanjay Leela Bhansali had other plans for her.

SONAM KAPOOR never thought she would ever follow in her father Anil Kapoor's footsteps, forget about being the leading lady of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's opulent Saawariya.

"I never thought of it. It never really occured to me that I could do the acting thing," She laughs.
Not even for a teeny-weeny bit?
Nope.
Why? Did she have confidence issues?
"I am definitely not low on confidence. It's just that acting was never a career option," she says.

For one, she had a very 'un-filmi' upbringing because her parents Anil and Sunita Kapoor made it clear to her that studies mattered more than anything else.
"Though dad was a star, we were never concious of him being so. Mine was a very normal upbringing. Mom never even got film magazines at home. We were very far from the star world. Perhaps that is the reason I am so star struck," Sonam says. In fact, Saawariya leading man Ranbir Kapoor was Sonam's only 'filmi' childhood friend.

Second, Sonam weighted 86 kg and perhaps knew very well that hell would freeze over before any Bollywood director cast a heroine who weighted as much as she did.

WEIGHTY MATTERS

But things don't always go the way you expect them to. After returning from Singapore where she completed her graduation, Sonam assisted director Sanjay Leela Bhansali with Black. Bhansali obviously saw something special in her.

"After Black finished, Sanjay sir suddenly came up to me and told me that he wanted to cast me in his film. I was stunned. More than that, I was too scared to bring it up with my dad. I told him that he would have to ask my dad. Thankfully dad agreed."

But that was the easy part. "I was fat and definitely not heroine material," she says. "I realized that a Hindi film heroine could not weigh 86 kg. Especially when she is Anil Kapoor's daughter and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's heroine."

So after getting over the initial shock of being offered a leading role, she made losing weight a priority and lost over 30 kg.

She explains how homesickness led her to gain weight in Singapore. "It was the first time I was away from home. I ate to avoid missing home. When I was depressed, I ate. When I was happy, I ate."

STARRY, STARRY EYES

So it was exciting to see her father on screen when she was a child?
Not really. Seeing her father did no interest her as much as seeing his co-stars like Sridevi and Rai Mukherjee.

"They are such great actresses. I am a big fan. And now my first film has two of my favorite actors - Salman Khan and Rani - as my co-stars. It's almost a dream come true," says the chirpy 22-year-old.

And what does she have to say about claims that with her great looks and pedigree, she has had an easy ride into Bollywood?
"I can't really deny that things have been easier for me than for some others but I can't forget the pressure that comes with the pedigree. When I have two big names attached to mine, I have to live up to expectations. Though dad is like a friend, he is also a disciplinarian. I can't take advantage of him. But when it comes to expert advice and experience, I get the best," she says with a grin.

Interview By Tavishi Paitandy Rastoi For Brunch - Hindustan Times Mumbai

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