Sonam Kapoor in Raanjhanaa

First, a belated happy birthday [June 9]! How was the mini break in Paris?

Thank you! It was the best! I went to Paris for a couple of days along with five of my closest girlfriends. The trip was all about shopping, chatting, food, wine and chilling. We brought in my birthday at the Rihanna concert. It was like being in a nightclub with 80,000 people! The six of us went ballistic. Completely insane! It was nice to be able to take off in the middle of the promotions for Raanjhanaa.

 

Talking about Raanjhanaa, in an interview you’ve said that this role changed you fundamentally. How so?

I would like to think that I am a very honest and straightforward person. While Zoya seems happy on the surface, there is an inherent sadness to her. That’s what I identified with. I think there is a tinge of sadness in her. Living Zoya made me calmer as a person. I have always been someone who has lived in her own world. Zoya made me pay attention to people around me.

 

A lot was made about Abhay Deol and your equation post-Aisha. How would you define your relationship?

Abhay and I are friends. We are very similar people, so we are always fighting with each other (laughs). There is no guarantee that we will not fight in the near future. But underneath all that we are friends who really like each other. We talk about everything and we know everything there is to know about each other’s lives.

 

Raanjhanaa is your first release in almost a year-and-a-half. Did you stop signing films?

About six months before Players released (in January 2012), I stopped signing films. So I didn’t shoot for almost a year. It wasn’t because my films weren’t doing well... hits and flops have never affected me. I wanted to take stock of my career and see if I was on the right path. I didn’t want to sign films just for the heck of working. I want films that I will be proud to be a part of and that make me happy. I also decided to do just one film a year. After Raanjhanaa, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag will release and I am doing Nupur Asthana’s film for Yash Raj Films.

The last couple of years haven’t been very kind in terms of your career. How do you deal with disappointments?

I never look back. Once I am done with a film — either the shoot if it’s sync-sound or dubbing — mentally, I move on. This is how I deal with everything in my life. There is no use brooding over something you can do nothing about.

It’s been six years since Saawariya. How do you assess your career?

I don’t really think that much. I will leave it to others to assess my career. I am just interested in doing roles that make me push the envelope as an actor. I am not ambitious in any other aspect of my life except acting. My endeavour always has been to deliver more than what is asked of me.

Has your criteria for the films you pick changed?

Not really. My first priority always is the script and the role. It should excite me and take me out of my comfort zone.

In the last six years, you have cemented your place in the most fashionable celebrities list. Does that put pressure on you?

Absolutely not! I dress up for myself and that’s the advice I give all young girls. Don’t dress up for your man or for society. Dress according to your moods and likes. I like beautiful clothes and I have a great bunch of people, including my sister Rhea, who help me put together a look.

Who do you consider fashionable among your contemporaries?

I really like Kalki (Koechlin). She has her own quirky, Indian-European style.