Sonam Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor
Kapoor in 2015
Born	(1985-06-09) 9 June 1985 Chembur, Mumbai, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2007–present
Parent(s)	Anil Kapoor Sunita Kapoor
Relatives	See Kapoor family

Sonam Kapoor (pronounced [soːnəm kəˈpuːr]; born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress. Through her career in Bollywood, she has become one of the highest paid actresses and one of the most popular celebrities in India. Kapoor has been nominated for three Filmfare Award and won two Stardust Awards. She is the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor. She studied theater and arts at the United World College of South East Asia, and assisted the director Sanjay Leela Bhansali on his 2005 drama film Black.

Kapoor made her acting debut in 2007 with Bhansali's romantic drama Saawariya. Though unsuccessful at the box office, Kapoor's performance earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. She then featured in the political drama Delhi-6 (2009), and had her first commercial success with the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010). Following a series of commercial failures, Kapoor garnered praise and earned her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination for the romantic drama Raanjhanaa (2013). She also featured briefly in the highly successful biographical sports film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), and played the lead in the romantic comedy Khoobsurat (2014).

Alongside her career, Kapoor supports charities and causes, such as creating awareness on breast cancer. The actress is particularly known in the media for her outspoken personality, and is cited as one of the most fashionable Indian celebrities. She is a prominent celebrity endorser for several brands and products. Her off-screen life is the subject of fervent tabloid reporting in India.

Early life and background

Kapoor with her father Anil in 2011

Sonam Kapoor was born in the suburb of Chembur, Mumbai on 9 June 1985. Her father is actor and producer Anil Kapoor, who is the founder of Anil Kapoor Films Company, and her mother is Sunita Kapoor. The family moved to their home in Juhu, where her parents still reside, when she was a month old. Kapoor is the eldest of three children. Her sister is producer Rhea, and actor Harshvardhan is her brother. Her paternal grandfather was filmmaker Surinder Kapoor. He died in 2011 after suffering cardiac arrest. She is the niece of producer Boney Kapoor and actor Sanjay Kapoor. Her paternal cousins are the actors Arjun Kapoor and Mohit Marwah. Kapoor shares a close bond with her maternal grandmother, and admits that she has a major influence on her personality.

Kapoor was schooled at the Arya Vidya Mandir school in Juhu, following which she enrolled at the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore for her pre-university education, where she studied theater and arts. As a child, Kapoor was interested in reading books, and was a bibliophile: "Be it a trip to the dentist, getting an injection or even coming home with a good report card, my reward always had to be a book. I didn't care much for anything else." In an interview with India Today, Kapoor said that she was sports enthusiastic in school, playing rugby and basketball. As part of an annual tradition, the Kapoor family celebrates the festival of Ganesha Chaturthi every year. Kapoor, a practicing Hindu, takes part in the festivities with her entire family. As a teenager, she suffered from obesity: "I had every issue related to weight that I could have. I was unhealthy, I had bad skin, and I had hair growing on my face!" Kapoor's condition led to her being diagnosed with borderline diabetes and polycystic ovarian disease.

Kapoor attended the University of East London for a course in economics and political science. When actress Rani Mukerji visited Kapoor in Singapore during a holiday, Kapoor expressed her desire to work as a crew member on Mukerji's forthcoming project, Black. On her father's recommendation to the film's director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kapoor worked as an assistant director on the film. In a 2013 interview with The Times of India, Kapoor said that she initially aspired to be a director and writer. However, while working on Black, Bhansali expressed interest in casting Kapoor as the lead in Bhansali's next film, Saawariya. She was advised to lose weight; she weighed over 80 kilograms (180 lb) to that point. Inspired by Bhansali's confidence in her, she lost Template:Covert in two years. Before beginning work on Saawariya, Kapoor also took acting classes from the theater personalities Roshan Taneja, Jayati Bhatia and Feroz Abbas Khan.

Acting career

2007–12

Based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky's short story "White Nights", Saawariya tells the story of a tramp who falls in love with a woman awaiting the return of her lover. The film, which released in 2007, also marked the debut of actor Ranbir Kapoor; Rani Mukerji and Salman Khan appeared in supporting roles. Saawariya was the first Indian film to be produced by a Hollywood studio (Sony Pictures Entertainment), and was a highly anticipated release. However, film critics were disappointed with the film, with BBC's Jaspreet Pandohar calling it a "misfire on a massive scale". Raja Sen of Rediff.com added: "The gorgeous Sonam Kapoor is armed with a great laugh — almost as infectious as her father's — and one wishes she was allowed to simper softly, instead of having a clearly overdubbed plastic giggle plastered onto her." The film failed to perform well at the box-office. However, she earned a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, and won the Stardust Award for Superstar of Tomorrow – Female for her performance in the film.

Kapoor at a promotional event for I Hate Luv Storys in 2010

Kapoor's second release was in 2009—Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra cast her as an aspiring singer in the political drama Delhi-6, co-starring Waheeda Rehman and Abhishek Bachchan. The film was praised by film critics, but underperformed at the box-office. However, one of the film's tracks "Masakali" was popular with audiences, and she was nicknamed "Masakali girl" as a result of its success. CNN-IBN's Rajeev Masand called Kapoor a "revelation" in the film, adding that she is "a firecracker, instinctive and uninhibited in what isn't even a conventional female lead".

The romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010) from director Punit Malhotra was Kapoor's first commercial success. Co-starring Imran Khan, the film tells the story of an engaged woman who develops a one-sided attraction towards her commitment-phobic co-worker. Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express was critical of Kapoor's performance, which she termed "stiff and rehearsed", though Daily News and Analysis' Johnson Thomas found her "likable and believable". I Hate Luv Storys was a domestic and international box-office success, earning ₹725.2 million (US$8.7 million). Kapoor then took on the titular role in the romantic comedy Aisha (2010) that was produced by her sister Rhea. The film was a modern-day adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Emma, and also featured Abhay Deol, Ira Dubey and Amrita Puri in prominent roles. Described as India's first "fashion film", Kapoor was particularly praised for her fashion and her unique style in the film. Lipika Verma of The Hindu credited her as "the biggest fashionista of her time". A reviewer for the Indo-Asian News Service found Kapoor to be the stand-out performer in the film, writing that "she makes the best of a rather rare opportunity for an Indian leading lady to be part of a Bollywood film that salutes Victorian mores and Delhi's elitist affectations in one clean cool sweep". The film underperformed at the box-office.

Kapoor's first film release of 2011 was Thank You, a comedy about three wives who want to teach a lesson to their philandering husbands. The film met with poor reviews as did Kapoor's performance; Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India found her portrayal to be "terribly out of sync". Kapoor then starred in the Pankaj Kapur-directed romantic drama Mausam, in which she and co-star Shahid Kapoor played star-crossed lovers. The film received mixed reviews and was a box office failure. Despite being critical of her acting prowess, critic Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV thought that Kapoor successfully conveyed "the essential vulnerability of a girl forever under duress, bringing out just the right mix of feminine fragility and native resolve." Kapoor's only release of 2012 was Abbas-Mustan's action-thriller Players, a remake of The Italian Job (2003). The role was originally written for Katrina Kaif, who left the project due to date problems, but was replaced by Kapoor. Co-starring Abhishek Bachchan, Bipasha Basu and Neil Nitin Mukesh, she played a computer hacker in the film. Writing for Rediff.com, Raja Sen commented on her performance: "[she] truly entertains with her childish attempt to pass off as a Gold-medalist hacker." Trade journalists had high expectations for the film which ultimately flopped at the box-office. The series of poorly received films led The Indian Express to call them "dust at the ticket windows."

2013–present: Raanjhanaa and beyond

Kapoor promoting Raanjhnaa on Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa in 2013

Kapoor's leading role in the romantic drama Raanjhanaa (2013), which received a positive critical reception, proved to be a breakthrough for her. The film tells the story of a young Muslim student from Varanasi who is drawn into Indian politics after the murder of her Sikh lover. The actress was cast as Zoya, who is—in her words—"extremely feminine, but she knows her mind." In preparation for her part, Kapoor interacted with students, attended workshops, and practiced with the theater groups associated with Jawaharlal Nehru University. She also observed Jaya Bachchan's work in Guddi (1971), which she felt "was perfect for the character I ... portray[ed]". Additionally, she developed a command over Hindi and Urdu languages. Raanjhanaa was met with mixed reviews, but Kapoor's performance was particularly praised. Writing for The Indian Express, Geety Sahgal called it her best performance to that point, and particularly praised her transformation from a "gawky teenager" to a "fiery political activist". With global earnings of over ₹1 billion (US$12 million), Raanjhanaa emerged as a commercial success. Among other honours, Kapoor received her first Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination.

A biopic on athlete Milkha Singh, entitled Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), from Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra featured Kapoor in the brief role of the love interest of Farhan Akhtar's character. Made on the budget of ₹300 million (US$3.6 million), she was paid ₹11 (13¢ US) for her role in the film. According to Kapoor, she accepted the salary because of director Mehra's confidence in her. Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was one of the top-grossing films of the year and garnered critical acclaim. Critic Sarita A. Tanwar wrote in her review that Kapoor "has little to do in her special appearance except be the perfect warm counterpart to Milkha".

In Yash Raj Films' Bewakoofiyaan (2014), a comedy-drama set in the inflation-hit economy of India, Kapoor played Mayera, a banker, opposite Ayushmann Khurrana and Rishi Kapoor. Film critic Anupama Chopra found the film to be "exhaust[ing]", and wrote that Kapoor was unable to make a mark in it as her role was poorly written: "She attempts to imbue Mayera with some texture but it’s an uphill climb." Her second film release of 2014 was the romantic comedy Khoobsurat opposite Pakistani actor Fawad Afzal Khan, an adaptation of the 1980 film of the same name, in which she played a physiotherapist, a role based on the one played by Rekha in the original. Kapoor became India's first actress to star in a film produced by Disney. Having "grown up watching their movies", she considered it her "childhood dream". Khoobsurat performed moderately well at the box office. Critics were divided in their opinions of Kapoor's performance. Andy Webster of The New York Times added that Kapoor shared some of Anne Hathaway's "early incandescence" and a Julia Roberts-like smile. However, Reuters' Shilpa Jamkhandikar criticised her, calling her "loud and exasperating, rather than the vivacious, klutzy do-gooder she is portrayed as". For her performance, Kapoor garnered her second Best Actress nomination at Filmfare.

Kapoor next played the titular role of a runaway bride in Dolly Ki Doli (2015), a comedy film co-starring Pulkit Samrat, Rajkummar Rao and Varun Sharma. Writing for Mint, Udita Jhunjhunwala criticised Kapoor's performance and said that her "range is too limited to bring alive a character that may have had heaps of potential on paper". As of July 2015, Kapoor has completed her filming for Sooraj R. Barjatya's family drama Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, opposite Salman Khan, and Neerja Bhanot, a biopic on flight attendant Neerja Bhanot. She has also confirmed her presence in a film adaptation of Anuja Chauhan's novel Battle For Bittora.

Personal life and other work

Kapoor has cited actresses Waheeda Rehman and Nutan as her inspirations, admiring "their quality of doing different things." The actress currently lives in Juhu, Mumbai. In 2015, Kapoor purchased a 7,000-square-foot (650 m²) ₹300 million (US$3.6 million) duplex apartment in Bandra Kurla Complex. Regarding her religious affiliations, the actress said, "I am quite religious. It's a great way of reminding myself that I need to be thankful for so much." She is trained in Kathak, classical music, and Latin dance. In a 2009 interview, Kapoor spoke about her suffering from insulin resistance, and she has since launched an initiative to create awareness on diabetes. While filming Prem Ratan Dhan Payo in Gondal, Gujarat, she was diagnosed with swine influenza in February 2015. Kapoor was flown to Mumbai in an air-ambulance, and she recovered from the infection the following month.

The Indian media has often speculated about a romantic relationship between Kapoor and her co-actors, but she has denied the allegations. Tabloid reports romantically linked her with Ranbir Kapoor during the production of Saawariya; however, they strongly refused it. The media then speculated on a romantic relationship with Punit Malhotra (the director of I Hate Luv Storys). Although this was refused by Kapoor and Malhotra, it was reported that the couple separated in 2013. The following year, she met entrepreneur-model Sahir Berry on a social media network, and began a romantic relationship with him, although they broke up a few months later. She has since decided to keep her personal life away from the media attention, stating that she is "completely against talking about my relationships to the press".

In addition to acting in films, Kapoor has supported charitable organisations for a number of causes. In 2009, Kapoor participated in the International Indian Film Academy Awards charity fashion show, which supports widows and orphans of Indian film industry workers. The following year, on the behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), she sent a letter to Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil to discourage the usage of glass-coated manja—used for flying kites—as it kills birds after being entangled in them. In 2012, she asked her fans to donate to the Ogaan Cancer Foundation on the occasion of her birthday; they also collaborated to create an awareness for breast cancer. She is the brand ambassador for Elle Breast Cancer Campaign, which also promotes breast cancer awareness.

In 2012, Kapoor auctioned some of her clothes on stylist Pernia Qureshi’s online fashion boutique Pernia’s Pop-Up Shop, whose proceeds were donated to Smile Foundation, which endorses the cause of children's welfare. In 2014, she attended a charitable art exhibition by Rouble Nagi Art Foundation, and donated some of her her clothes and accessories to a website, which raised funds for In Defense of Animals, an organisation, which support animal rights. She walked the ramp in a 2015 fashion show by Manish Malhotra for the Mijwan Welfare Society, an NGO dedicated to empowering girls. Later that year, she featured alongside Hrithik Roshan for no charge in the music video for "Dheere Dheere", whose profits were donated to a charity.

In the media

Kapoor walking the ramp in 2012

Born into a family of popular actors, Kapoor appeared in the media from an early age, due to which her entry into films was covered extensively by the Indian media. The actress is particularly praised for her dress sense and fashion, and attracts wide media attention for her dressing style at public events and film promotions. In 2009, she became the first Bollywood actress to wear a gown designed by the French company Chanel. Magazine Vogue India described her as "a fashion icon who hits it out of the park with every single outfit can never be up for debate. Her effortless style, love for experimentation, and inimitable je ne sais quoi is the stuff sartorial legends are made of." She was credited as "the most sartorially advanced starlet of Bollywood" by Sonal Ved, who also praised her dress sense. Kapoor, however, has often been criticised for her traditional Indian dresses, which Hindustan Times has opined that she "isn’t able to do much justice to Indian clothes."

Kapoor is particularly known in the Indian media for her outspoken nature and for honestly expressing her forthright opinions in public. The actress has been the subject of several controversies. Her statements on her contemporaries and other people from the Indian film industry have often attracted wide media attention and have been criticised. In a 2015 interview, she explained that her honest opinions "often get [her] into trouble ... But I believe it pays to be honest in the longer run". The actress was involved in another controversy, when she raised her middle finger during a press conference, which she later justified as "a part of today's youth." She has maintained a Twitter account since 2009 and has an official Facebook page. She is one of the most popular Indian celebrities on social media.

Analysing Kapoor's career, a reviewer for Rediff.com published that despite her films performing poorly at the box-office, she "remains among the most sought after celebrities" and "one of the most talked about actors in Bollywood". Emirates 24/7 wrote that she featured in a series of films, for which she was "written off by the critics as yet another star kid who crashed and burned without any talent." Following the success of Raanjhanaa and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Subhash K. Jha noted: "Sonam has joined the ranks of the top-most actresses of the country." Imran Khan (her I Hate Luv Storys co-star) said of her acting craft: "We'd be shooting a scene from multiple angles-for three or four hours you're doing the same scene, the same lines-and here is this person who brings consistency to her work, from the way she talks, to her accent." On her approach to acting, Kapoor stated: "I have always tried to do different films and ... I try to be different for every character. I like doing different things to challenge myself in every way and don’t like to repeat myself."

One of the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood, Kapoor is considered among the most popular and fashionable celebrities in India. She is described as a style icon by the Indian media. In 2009, Kapoor became the first Indian actress to feature in The Hollywood Reporter's "Next Generation: Asia Class", a list dedicated to newcomers in films. The actress was ranked seven in The Times of India's listing of the "Most Desirable Woman" in 2010, and was placed at the fourteenth, twenty eighth, and fourteenth positions for the following three years. She has featured in the UK magazine Eastern Eye's "World's Sexiest Asian Women" list from 2011 to 2014, ranking among the top ten each year. Rediff.com placed her in their list of "Bollywood's Best Dressed Actresses" in 2012 and 2013. In 2012 and 2013, she held the forty eighth and forty fifth positions, respectively, on the Indian edition of Forbes' "Celebrity 100," a list based on the income and popularity of India's celebrities. The following year, she jumped to the thirty first position, with an estimated annual earning of ₹112 million (US$1.3 million). The actress also appeared in The Huffington Post's list of "100 most influential women on Twitter" in 2015.

Kapoor is the celebrity endorser for brands, such as Colgate, Electrolux, Lux, Mont Blanc, Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A., and Signature. Kapoor is also the Indian ambassador for the international cosmetic brand L'Oreal. In 2014, she became the endorser for Oppo Mobile, for which she was paid approximately ₹30 million (US$360,000), making her one of the highest paid celebrities for endorsements in India. In 2014, Kapoor became the first Indian actress to feature on the cover of the Prestige Hong Kong magazine.

Filmography

Key

†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2007	Saawariya	Sakina
2009	Delhi-6	Bittu Sharma
2010	I Hate Luv Storys	Simran Kaur
2010	Aisha	Aisha Kapoor
2011	Thank You	Sanjana Malhotra
2011	Mausam	Aayat Rasool
2012	Players	Naina Braganza
2013	Bombay Talkies	Herself
2013	Raanjhanaa	Zoya Haider
2013	Bhaag Milkha Bhaag	Biro
2014	Bewakoofiyaan	Mayera Sehgal
2014	Khoobsurat	Dr. Mrinalini "Milli" Chakravarty
2015	Dolly Ki Doli	Dolly
2015	"Dheere Dheere"		Music Video
2015	Prem Ratan Dhan Payo †	Maithili	Post-production
2016	Neerja Bhanot †	Neerja Bhanot	Filming

Awards and nominations

Year	Film	Award	Category	Result	Ref.
2008	Saawariya	Filmfare Awards	Best Female Debut	Nominated
2008	Saawariya	Screen Awards	Most Promising Newcomer	Nominated
2008	Saawariya	Zee Cine Awards	Best Female Debut	Nominated
2008	Saawariya	Stardust Awards	Superstar of Tomorrow – Female	Won
2010	Delhi-6	Asian Film Awards	Best Newcomer	Nominated
2010	Delhi-6	Screen Awards	Best Actress (Popular Choice)	Nominated
2010	Delhi-6	Stardust Awards	Superstar of Tomorrow – Female	Nominated
2011	I Hate Luv Storys	Stardust Awards	Best Actress in a Comedy or Romance	Nominated
2012	Thank You	Stardust Awards	Best Actress in a Comedy or Romance	Nominated
2012	None	Zee Cine Awards	International Icon – Female	Nominated
2014	Raanjhanaa	BIG Star Entertainment Awards	Most Entertaining Actor in a Social/Drama Film - Female	Nominated
2014	Raanjhanaa	Screen Awards	Best Actress (Popular Choice)	Nominated
2014	Raanjhanaa	Filmfare Awards	Best Actress	Nominated
2014	Raanjhanaa	Zee Cine Awards	Best Actress	Nominated
2015	Khoobsurat	Stardust Awards	Best Actress in a Comedy or Romance	Won
2015	Khoobsurat	BIG Star Entertainment Awards	Most Entertaining Actor in a Comedy Film - Female	Nominated
2015	Khoobsurat	Screen Awards	Best Actress (Popular Choice)	Nominated
2015	Khoobsurat	Filmfare Awards	Best Actress	Nominated

Other honours

• 2011: NDTV Brand Ambassador of the Year
• 2011: Hello Hall of Fame Awards's Face of the Year
• 2013: Hindustan Times' Style Icon (Reader's Choice)
• 2013: GQ Woman of the Year
• 2013: Vogue Beauty Award Beauty of the Year
• 2014: Hello Hall of Fame Awards' Entertainer of the Year

See also

• List of Indian film actresses

External links

• Sonam Kapoor on Twitter
• Sonam Kapoor at IMDb