For her next, Anand L Rai’s Raanjhnaa, Sonam Kapoor has reportedly brushed up her acting skills and even gone to the extent of seeking inspiration from similar films for her role. A source close to the actor reveals that Sonam’s point of reference for the character she is playing is actor Jaya Bachchan’s act in the 1971 hit, Guddi. “The character that Sonam will play in the film is different from the ones she has played so far. Therefore, she wanted to make it look as convincing as possible. She shortlisted a few films and the character of Guddi was found to be the closest to what she was going to portray,” says the source.

In director’s Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s film, Jaya Bachchan played a spunky and carefree schoolgirl. Whereas, in Raanjhnaa, Sonam plays a middle-class college student from Varanasi. “Jaya Bachchan’s classic performance in Guddi inspired me. It was perfect for the character I was going to portray and I saw it over and over again,” says Sonam.

Sonam is paired opposite south actor Dhanush, popularly known for his song ‘Kolaveri di’. He plays a carefree youngster. Produced by Krishika Lulla, Raanjhnaa is a romantic flick where Dhanush’s character undergoes a drastic change after he meets Sonam’s character. The film is slated to hit theatres on June 28.