Too many magazine covers have landed Sonam Kapoor in trouble. When her home production Aisha got mixed reviews, talks about Kapoor’s fashion fetish overshadowing her acting started making the rounds.
Recently, Imran Khan, who acted with her in I Hate Luv Storys, mentioned Sonam should "do more movies, less magazine covers" on the TV show Koffee With Karan. Earlier, her Aisha co-actor Abhay Deol had also commented that "too much energy was wasted in styling and he would rather not do such films".
Miffed with Imran’s comment, Kapoor retorts that Khan was "not unfair" before lashing out: "Imran is really sweet and I like him, but I can’t take someone so wet behind the ears seriously. He still has a lot to do before he makes statements like that."
When asked if fashion was distracting her from acting, Kapoor insists that she has only walked the ramp twice — once for designer pal Anamika Khanna and again for Tarun Tahiliani, who started his career with her mother, Sunita. "I have done as many magazine covers or may be even fewer than other actors. I was on just three covers this year. May be my covers have such an impact that people feel I am always there."
While designer Masaba Gupta, whose store Kapoor launched, says that her friend’s stylish wardrobe makes her one of the leading icons of Indian fashion, Kapoor insists that she would rather be known as an actor. "But fashion and acting go hand in hand. The biggest stars in the world are also fashion icons, whether Audrey Hepburn, Rekha, Sharmila Tagore or Marilyn Monroe." Kapoor would rather not accept any ‘icon’ tag because she finds it too stressful.
She also points out that while she enjoys fashion and being on magazine covers, she has also worked with the best filmmakers in the country, namely Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, Abbas-Mustan and Anees Bazmee. “These stalwarts think I am good enough to be in their film as an actor. Critics have never pulled me up in any of the films I’ve done in two years of acting,” she retorts.
{{/usCountry}}She also points out that while she enjoys fashion and being on magazine covers, she has also worked with the best filmmakers in the country, namely Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra, Abbas-Mustan and Anees Bazmee. “These stalwarts think I am good enough to be in their film as an actor. Critics have never pulled me up in any of the films I’ve done in two years of acting,” she retorts.
{{/usCountry}}For those wanting to see Kapoor in varied roles, the wait will not be long. She is currently shooting in Punjab for Pankaj Kapur’s Mausam opposite Shahid Kapoor and will also be seen in Anees Bazmee’s Thank You with Akshay Kumar and Abbas-Mustan’s Players alongside Abhishek Bachchan.
Visibly excited about her pairing with Bachchan, she mentions, “Abhishek is very protective of me. We will be the next Shah Rukh and Kajol of Bollywood.”