Later in the day, Soha was at Fish Fish on Swinhoe Street to launch the Puja special thali. Pictures: Rashbehari Das

Soha Ali Khan, who has fond memories of Durga Puja growing up, was in Calcutta on Mahalaya. “I would come to meet my grandparents in Alipore. Durga Puja was all about food, sweets and dressing up!” smiled the 35-year-old actress, radiant in Nishka Lulla separates. Soha will be back in town on September 29 (Panchami) to inaugurate a series of Puja pandals. “It will be fun! I wish Kunal (Khemu, her fiance) could come... he has only seen Durga Puja in Kahaani!” laughed Soha. Her film Chaarfutiya Chhokare releases today.

Chaarfutiya Chhokare is a very intriguing title....

Yes, it is kind of catchy. People in north India refer to guys as chhokre. My character, Neha, is an NRI who comes back to India. She has a charity and she wants to build a school. Then she comes face-to-face with various social problems like child-trafficking and child labour. The film is about how she tries to change the system and encounters corruption at every level. It is kind of a whistleblower film. As an actor, this film gave me an opportunity to perform... it’s an author-backed role. I can relate to her a lot, except for the fact that she is a better driver than I am. There is a lot of driving in the film... so I had to learn how to drive!

You couldn’t drive before this film?

If you say that you are a modern 21st century woman, you should know how to drive and cook. I don’t know how to cook at all! That’s my next project because I want to be independent. Once day the bai doesn’t come to work and your whole life falls apart. At least I have learnt to drive an automatic car. Next step is manual. My driver refuses to teach me as he says there is no need. He says: ‘It is such a nice car. Why do you want to ruin it?’ I have to fight with him to drive my own car! (Smiles)

Have you ever tried to cook?

I tried to bake because one likes to cook things that one likes to eat. I have a sweet tooth, so I like eating brownies and muffins. I tried to bake, but I don’t know what I did wrong because it didn’t rise! I had put in baking soda and yet it remained kind of kachha inside and a little burnt on the outside. I think I need to try a few more times.

In July, Kunal proposed to you in Paris. That must have been so romantic...

It was lovely! It was a surprise. Kunal wanted to propose in Paris because my father (Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi) had proposed to my mother (Sharmila Tagore) there. Kunal and I share so much, but it was amazing that he kept this from me. I was expecting a proposal last year on my birthday in October. When that didn’t happen and since we have known each other for six years, I thought we are so comfortable in this space that we will never go beyond. I kind of had given up! So it was genuinely a surprise for me in July. I always thought that I was very progressive and proposals and marriage don’t matter to me, but as soon as he proposed, I burst into tears. Now everyone is expecting a wedding, but we really haven’t thought about it. This (the engagement) was kind of a public announcement of our commitment. Our commitment was always very deep but it was private so we decided to make it public... that we are not going to marry anyone else. We both are so lazy and we both procrastinate so much... so I don’t know when this wedding is going to happen!

Soha Ali Khan poses for thet2 camera at Novotel in New Town

How and where do you want it to happen?

Honestly, I don’t enjoy big weddings. I think it is wrong to say it, but it is a waste of a lot of money.... It will be intimate and small. I have married in films scores of times. I have been a showstopper for bridal shows. I have a little box of fake engagement rings also! (Laughs out loud) My fiance died in my films four times! It’s all really done.

How does Kunal want it?

He has asked me to organise everything and tell him where to come and when. He said he will turn up!

Earlier this year, Kunal spent a month in Calcutta shooting for Guddu Ki Gun. What did he think of the city?

He loves food. Everybody knows you get great food here in Calcutta. He ate a lot. They were shooting all over the city and he was the lead so they had to shoot every day. He really didn’t get a chance to go around much. He clicked beautiful pictures. Even my mother saw them and said that he should have an exhibition of his pictures.

What’s your equation like with your sister-in-law Kareena Kapoor? Do you guys catch up?

Yes, we catch up. We meet as a family. Bhai (Saif Ali Khan), Kareena, Kunal and I meet regularly in Mumbai, usually over dinner. We have been on holidays together as well... wonderful holidays in Maldives and England. I am promoting this film otherwise I would have been in Goa where Kareena was celebrating her birthday (on September 21).

They (Saif and Kareena) are very homely, like me. They also don’t like to have wild parties.... It’s generally a nice dinner for eight to 12 people. What I like most about Bhai’s house is that there is not so much of film talk. When you are sitting at the table and having dinner, one subject is chosen. It goes around the table and everyone gives their opinions... whether it is the Aam Aadmi Party, capital punishment or the current Prime Minister. Everyone has an opinion, even if we don’t know much about it! (Laughs)