Recently-married actor Sonam Kapoor on her charmed life and glamour-shy hubby, Anand Ahuja
Suman Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; July 15, 2018)

Yours seems to be a fairytale life...
It’s not been easy. But I don’t put out negativity in the world and discuss my difficulties. I take everything with a pinch of salt, whether it’s facing comparisons with my family members or people being harder on me than they should because they believe I’ve got it easy....

Really?
Ya, but it’s okay. It comes with the territory because of my parents, because of my family. But I’ve nothing to complain about because I am who I am because of my parents. The media has been kind to me. My family has been with me. I kept a positive frame of mind.

Tell us something about your husband Anand Ahuja...
(Smiles) I don’t want to discuss anything. He’s fun-loving, open and a kind person. And that’s the most important thing. My husband is not a public personality. He doesn’t like to be discussed.

Has the definition of love changed for you?
Love keeps growing and keeps evolving. I’ve always been a romantic and an idealist. What’s amazing is that it’s all come through beautifully. I’ve always strongly believed there is one person for you. So when it happened, I knew.

What have you imbibed from your parents’ (Anil and Sunita Kapoor) rock-solid marriage?
That friendship is the crux of everything. Being best friends with the person you’re married to is the only way a relationship can last.

Coming to the sad demise of Sridevi, the tragedy has brought the family closer...
I don’t want to talk about this because it’s an extremely sensitive subject. But as a family we have always been close. Janhvi and Khushi are my sisters and I love them to death.

What has been the influence of your parents on you as a person?
My dad’s progressive. There’s never been any differentiation between a son and a daughter. A lot of freedom was granted to us to be what we wanted to be. I missed my Nani (maternal grandmother) a lot during my wedding. Be it my knowledge of the Ramayana or Mahabharata, Indian classical music, culture... all the Indian-ness in me is because of my grandmother. The way she wore her sarees, the way she was with her husband, the way she was with us, her leaning towards art... a lot of who I am is because of my Nani.

One advice your father has given you?
Just be happy and think young. He doesn’t absorb any negativity. He’s a positive person. He believes in being in a good state of mind always. That has helped him so much. If something is bothering him, he’ll just go for a run or he will talk positive. Stress is something that ages you.

Actors are said to be self-obsessed. Is it true in your case?
I don’t believe actors are self-obsessed. Rather they are self-observant. When you observe yourself a lot, you become critical. So, you want to perfect yourself over and over again. Your body and emotions are your tools. But weirdly, I’m the opposite. I am self-observant and self-critical but at the same time, I’m extremely emotional. So I try not to think about myself too much. I don’t like to look into the mirror.

The perception is that an actor’s life is luxurious and fun...
There is a reason why we enjoy so many benefits as an actor. We work hard for it. Acting includes physical, mental and emotional labour. And yet everything is transitory. Whatever goes up, has to come down. Your life is dependent on what other people think of you. You need your audience. Whether you’re a director, an actor, a musician or a painter… your life, your livelihood, your art is dependent on the audience. And the audience can be fickle. They like you one day, they may not like you on another day. That’s a difficult space to be in. So it’s a hard life.

Twenty years from now, how do you see yourself?
Hopefully, as a good wife, a successful entrepreneur, a good mother... 360 degrees successful in all I do.

SHORT TAKES

The hardest thing to give up...
Besides chocolate, nothing is hard to give up.

Your idea of romance...
Knowing the kind of coffee the person enjoys.

One mistake you’d never make in a relationship...
Dishonesty.

The secret of a good relationship...
Faithfulness, honesty, love and friendship.

A quality that makes a woman truly sexy...
Happiness.

Your biggest dream...
I have achieved it.

Apart from movies you’d want to dabble with...
Garments.

Your biggest fear...
I don’t believe in being fearful. There are a few insecurities here and there. But they’re transitory.

Luck or talent...
Hard work.

Three things you desire...
I have everything. I’m happy and satisfied. I just want better work.

One thing that keeps you grounded...
My husband Anand Ahuja.

Your biggest critic...
My sister Rhea.

Describe yourself in three words...
Sensitive, happy and crazy.

Peers you admire...
I love Alia Bhatt. She’s brilliant. I like Kangana Ranaut, Deepika Padukone, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma.