Sonam Kapoor believes that being sensitive is a woman’s strength

Did your father (actor Anil Kapoor) bring you up differently from the way he brought up your brother?
My father never differentiated between my brother and me. In fact all three of us were equally pampered. There's never been favouritism in my family. I'm sure it hasn't even crossed my parents’ mind. We have all had opportunities to blossom.

Does being a woman make you feel special?
The best part about being a woman is that we share the ability to create life. Also, women can be both emotional and practical. I’m emotional about everything - and I consider that a strength not a weakness because it sensitises me and makes me a better person. I was emotional when my films Saawariya and Delhi 6 were released. I was emotional when Slumdog Millionaire won the Oscar. I’m emotional when something of consequence happens in anybody’s life. I’m a woman and, to top it, I’m an Indian, so I have a ticket to be emotional!

Do you cry often?
I cry when I know it is not embarrassing to others. I cry in my own space.

Do you think women are more romantic than men?
No, men are just as romantic as women. Both the genders are very romantic but men generally hide their feelings, while women don’t. As a person, I’m very idealistic and very romantic.

Do you think circumstances have changed for women over the years?
In life, the only thing that's constant is change. Yes, we women have changed in our fashion, in our body language, in the way we speak... We have become more expressive and more open about our feelings and can boast of many hard-won rights.

I believe you love reading novels set in the past. Would you have preferred to have belonged to that era?
I love reading about women from the past but I love being a woman of today. That's because today, we are increasingly coming into our own and are being treated as equals.

How independent are you?
I have always followed my own way of doing things… this is something that every person should do. If you can’t get what you want, you should learn how to get it. There are so many things that come in your way, bureaucracy for example. But we need to find a way around it. Where there is a will, there is a way. For every problem, there is a solution and it is up to you to find that solution.

Do you like being pampered or do you like pampering?
While I assert my independence, I can also happily state that I love being pampered. Interestingly, we women also love pampering our men. My dad, however independent he may be, is completely pampered by my mom. He can’t do anything without my mom!

Do you like dressing up?
Dressing up makes me happy. I like wearing beautiful clothes because they hold creative value in itself. I love shopping. If I'm feeling low, shopping cheers me up. But I dress up for myself; I don’t dress up for anyone else. As long as I feel beautiful when I look at myself in the mirror, nothing else matters. It’s a great feeling when you feel good about yourself based on your own values. That is why I dress a bit quirky… I enjoy playing with my look.

Jigar Shah