Mumbai: Star-in-waiting Sonam Kapoor showed up at an event on Saturday to promote designer Anuradha Vakil's autumn-winter collection. It was an emotional gesture for the lady who designed Sonam's costumes in her debut film Saawariya.

Already, there have been knee-jerk comparisons with Madhubala and Sadhana. But hang on..she has a certain individuality.. she's a new millennium girl who knows her heart and mind.

Parents Anil and Sunita Kapoor were hesitant to let her skip off to the studio world where angels fear to tread. But she was resolute.Well read and well-mannered, she's the girl from the Juhu- Vile Parle Scheme who was tipped to go places.

Sonam Kapoor is caught before take-off by Roshmila Bhattacharya

Ranbir Kapoor says that he loves Ranvir Raj, his Saawariya character, because he's so much like him. How close do you feel to your character?
Oh no, Sakina is nothing like me and that's why I love her. I became an actress, so I could play someone who's not like me at all. I'm a true Gemini.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's new film is a moving romantic feature that has taken the bold step of casting two scions of famous Bollywood clans as leads in their debut. 

THE upcoming Deepavali release Saawariya is not just the first Indian film produced by a Hollywood company – Sony Pictures – it also marks the debut of two bright young stars, Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. They play the lead roles of star-crossed lovers in the musical movie. 

And nope, the two are unrelated though their names indicate Bollywood royalty and they have known each other since childhood. Ranbir, 25, is the son of renowned actor Rishi Kapoor, and a cousin of the actresses Karisma and Kareena Kapoor. Twenty-two-year-old Sonam is the daughter of Anil Kapoor, another prominent veteran. 

In Saawariya, Ranbir plays artist Raj, who meets a young woman with a past, Sakina (Sonam), in a chance encounter and they fall madly in love. Based on the short story White Nights by 19th century Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky, Saawariya (Beloved) recounts the passionate love affair over four successive nights. 

Will the audience be enchanted by the romance of Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor in Saawariya?

It's another tender yet powerful tale of love directed by the acclaimed Sanjay Leela Bhansali, whose most noted works include the blockbusters Devdas (2002) and Black in 2005. In a press release on the film's official website, Sanjay says: "For Saawariya I needed two young newcomers and I got them in Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor. Ranbir and Sonam are like my own children and the time spent with them gave me a fresh perspective on life and a new way to look at the movies. I suddenly feel alive once again." 

Its all-consuming love story aside, the film showcases sumptuous sets boosted by a haunting melody (soundtrack by Monty Sharma and Sameer) that are a trademark of Sanjay. The Hindi movie also has on its supporting line-up two of Bollywood's biggest names, Salman Khan and Rani Mukherjee. 

 

The debutants 

In a recent interview, the fresh-faced and bushy-browed Ranbir expresses wonder at how two young individuals – Sonam and him – are currently at the same point in life sharing similar hopes and fears. This Deepavali will be very different and exciting for the duo as they will be watching with bated breath how audiences worldwide react to their acting debut in a Sanjay Leela Bhansali feature. 

Ranbir Kapoor plays Raj, a dreamy artist.

While they do not have the liberty to disclose much about the movie, the effervescent newbies readily agree to the interview at Ranbir's room – a higgledy-piggledy vision of closets pulled open, clothes on bed, files covering every inch of table. 

The only order amidst the chaos is a giant poster of Saawariya that occupies pride of place in the middle of the room.  

It's a clear sign of the owner's preoccupation with his first major work. 

Sonam begins in jest: "I don't have as much to live up to as Ranbir. He has the whole Raj Kapoor banner to hold up." (Raj, the late famous film director, is Ranbir's grandfather.) 

Sonam Kapoor is shy Sakina, who's been through much.

Her co-star feigns annoyance and asks: "Hey, why are you pressuring me so much?"  

Is it the kind of pressure that leads to sleepless nights? 

"No, we sleep a lot," says Sonam. And Ranbir goes: "That's going to sound terrible in print. You better rephrase it." But Sonam is too busy laughing to rephrase anything. 

As family friends who grew up together, the two are clearly at ease with each other. Ranbir is the voice of reason and calm while Sonam is quite the opposite – impulsive and emotional. Ranbir listens, Sonam talks. Ranbir thinks a thousand times before taking action, Sonam reacts without thinking. 

"Sonam is a drama queen, she's the modern-day Meena Kumari," grins Ranbir, striking a dramatic pose in reference to the legendary tragedy queen of Indian cinema. 

"How can you be so cool and collected?" asks Sonam ruefully. 

"Try thinking first before you speak, and you'll get there!" jokes Ranbir. "But it's okay. I like the honesty." 

Then remembering your presence there, the actor turns to you and says earnestly: "That's exactly how she's like – no pretences, when she's alone with you or with friends, with a hundred people or before the media." 

Back to more serious matters. How does he feel now that the shoot of Saawariya is over? "I feel like a father giving away his daughter in marriage," says Ranbir. Sonam giggles again.  

The kids aren't allowed to say much about their film. "Which is good, otherwise Sonam would narrate the entire script to you right now," says Ranbir. "Ask her about a book and she'll tell you the entire story. Then she'll move on to another book and narrate that story too...." 

What if Saawariya doesn't do well? 

Working with Ranbir and Sonam has energised Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

For the first time, there's a moment of deathly silence and the two look at each other. 

Then Ranbir says: "It will do well." 

"We're young and optimistic. It will do well," Sonam replies. 

Despite the high expectations, the two are remarkably sanguine about their maiden effort. It's an attitude the up-and-coming actors will need to survive in the capricious world of showbiz. 

Sanjay Leela Bhansali is back. After his spectacular creations Khamoshi, Hum dil de chuke sanam, Devdas and Black, he returns with his fifth sensational venture, Saawariya. An expert at absorbing audiences with the story, he makes sure that the music too mesmerizes all. Mr. Bhansali always chooses themes close to peoples' hearts. With his protagonists usually in pain and circumstantial affliction, he asserts an emotional trip to viewers. The films are taken pretty seriously by women and they are often seen sobbing, while men hog the popcorn. But Sanjay Leela Bhansali is no less of a genius, who makes every film with an 'amazing' tag. He gets the soundtrack for every movie made before other production steps. That proves his creativity and meticulous efforts put in picturising every song. Undoubtedly, he is the best as far as musicals are concerned.

Another success story already here is that Saawariya is the first Hindi movie with the role of an international producer. Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group, the banner we see invariably in Hollywood movies, has collaborated with Sony Pictures for the movie. Sanjay Leela Bhansali's worldwide acclaim has brought him to this prestigious avenue. The FTII graduate has a tidy sum of national and international accolades till date.

Ranbir Kapoor, girls! The Kapoor legecy bestows their fourth generation to Bollywood. Son of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, Ranbir could soon achieve the next 'graceful' chocolate-boy image. We can't doubt his acting skills since it's in his blood, although for Saawariya it must've been a big challenge to play such a dramatic role.

Sonam Kapoor! A differrent Kapoor connection, Sonam is Anil Kapoor's daughter. She too has seen every bit of the industry, with relatives like Boney Kapoor and Sridevi, she knows most of the filmy duniya herself. The simple and sweet teen is also widely awaited on the screens as she has taken up her monumental romantic role in Saawariya.

The film also stars Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan, Zohra Sehgal, Begum Para, and Achla Sachdev. It is based on a short story, 'White Nights' written by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The music is by Monty Sharma, a debutant director who had done the background score of Black and Devdas. He's shown his talent well, as the soundtrack already is a chart topper. More exciting is when these songs will be given another life on screen.

The movie promises dramatic characters, marvelous sceneries, a brilliant screenplay and moments of anguish & emotional turbulence. Never miss a good movie, and this is the one!

Deepika Padukone and Sonam Kapoor are now considered to be the next star of Bollywood. These two newcomers are getting in to Bollywood through their first movie slated for release on the same 9 November. So, no doubt, there will have some hidden clash between the two newcomers. Even if not, media has created some hype over Deepika Padukone and Sanom Kapoor.

Deepika Padukone is coming with the mush awaited movie Om Shanti Om along with Shah Rukh Khan. On the other hand, Sonam Kapoor will get into Bollywood with Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming movie Saawariya where she will be seen against another newcomer Ranbir Kapoor.

Deepika Padukone

It's difficult to hit the headlines if you have put just one step into this ever increasing Bollywood business but if your film belongs to one of the top five film makers of the Hindi film industry, you are sure to grab all eyeballs.

This is the story of the "cute" onscreen couple Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor, who are exceedingly busy these days attending press conferences and social dos…all for their film, "Saawariyaa".

Due to release just before Diwali, this Sanjay Leela Bhansali film has already raised hopes with its lavishly shot film promos. Though the crew is unwilling to reveal the plot of the film, it surely seems to be a must watch.

The release of the film may still be a month away but the producers of the two films have set their marketing machineries in fuill swing in a bid to woo the cinegoers.

While 'Om Shanti Om' tied up with Shopper's Stop for the merchandising of it's costumes, it was Pantaloon that tied up for the merchandising of clothes worn in 'Saawariya'.

The producers of 'Om Shanti Om' Red Chillies is in the process of signing a deal for promotion of the film in association with brands like Nokia and the cosmetics company Maybelline.

At the same time, producers of 'Saawariya', Sony Columbia Tristar Films have signed a in-film merchandise deal with Kishore Biyani's Future Group which involves a 'Saawariya' range of menswear, home products and beauty products to be retailed at Big Bazaar stores.

Sony Pictures have also signed a Rs five-crore contest-based promotion with Neo Sports for the ongoing India-Australia cricket series.

Only time will tell who will emerge the winner in this "clash of the titans". However, the ultimate winner in all this will be the business of films in India which will witness a heightened curiosity among cinegoers for the films and consequently increasing number of them heading for the cinema halls.

They say that firstly, life imitates art. We simply second that. And thirdly, what we have achieved with the help of our graphics team is to interchange the leading ladies of two of the most eagerly awaited films. And the results were far more 'believable' from the originals. And that's NOT an exaggeration!

We have just got 'two-gether' Saawariya and Om Shanti Om, and gave them some 'art-tistic' touch, and look what happened!

In reel-life, Deepika stars with SRK in Om Shanti Om and Sonam Kapoor stars with Ranbir Kapoor in Saawariya. We have merely interchanged the heroines and the end product looks nothing short of a Masterpiece! The irony of the situation is that Ranbir and Deepika were, apparently, an item in real life. With so much happening (read 'rumors' and 'plot revelations' etc…) in and around OSO, we just hope that Farah might just seek Divine intervention and blessings from OSHO!

If you think the swap of actresses looks interesting or otherwise, post your opinion out

Music of Aaja Nachle serves to be special. And the reasons are more than one.

a) Aaja Nachle is THE comeback film of Madhuri Dixit. Of course, there is no question of a compromise when it comes to music here.
b) The film's title. When a movie itself screams 'come dance', it should have enough ammunition in it's soundtrack to make you dance indeed.
c) The Yash Raj factor. After Jhoom Barabar Jhoom they desperately need a hit soundtrack. The need of the situation is much more than a single super successful track (Chak De India) or a critically appreciated album (Laaga Chunari Mein Daag).

Do the composer duo Salim-Sulaiman and lyricist team of Piyush Mishra, Jaideep Sahni and Asif Ali Beg do well to get the desired results? The way it turns out eventually is that the album isn't quite 'special' (as one would have hoped) but does have a few tunes which should make you play them on for some time to come at least. In the nutshell, is it a superhit album in the wings for Yash Raj Films? Not quite as they may have to wait longer!
Title song 'Aaja Nachle is the kind of track that Madhuri Dixit fans would have been waiting to see her in! This Piyush Mishra song has all in it that gives Madhuri ample opportunity to get into a 'jhatak-matak' act which is bound to be lapped up by her fans worldwide. A stage performance, ' Aaja Nachle' has a controlled Sunidhi Chauhan singing with aplomb. She gets the right 'ada' in her rendition hence doing well to suit the kind of image that Madhuri has built over the years.

With strong Indian classical influence, Salim-Sulaiman get the Indian mood right for this song that has a rustic edge to it and reminds one of Madhuri's own ' Chane Ke Khet Mein' from Anjaam. A sure shot popular track in the kitty for Madhuri here. The only song to find a repeat version in the album, 'Aaja Nachle' is heard in a 'reprise' version at the end of the album which is thankfully different from oh-so-common fly-a-dozen remix versions!

After some 'naach-gaana', it is time to get into a romantic mood with 'Ishq Hua'. With a young feel to it, this Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal sung track is a mix of poetry and conventional Hindi movie lyrics by Jaideep Sahni (also the writer of the film), all of which makes for a good listening.

Salim-Sulaiman get the melody working for this soothing track which is quite easy on ears, courtesy some soft arrangements. 'Ishq Hua' has a Yash Raj stamp all over it and has a certain cute element to it which should make it popular amongst kids as well!

It is a delight to hear Richa Sharma sing 'Show Me Your Jalwa' which is an addictive song from the word GO. Inspite of a jingle feel to it which sets you thinking about such music being heard in countless ads, it is hard to ignore the sheer rhythm on which the song is based.

With Kailash Kher and Salim Merchant as Richa's male singing partners, 'Show Me Your Jalwa' by Jaideep Sahni is truly rustic in appeal and brings the feeling of a small town setting well in spite of the catch line of the song being in English. While Richa is just perfect in her rendition here, she also sets the right platform for Madhuri to actually 'show her jalwa'.
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the man from whom one tends to expect a lot whenever his name appears in credits, croons 'O Re Piya'. Jaideep Sahni is at the helm of writing for third song in a row which is not really a kind of romantic number which one expects from Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. A situational track with shades of a 'qawalli' setting, ' O Re Piya' takes some time to register itself in the mind of a listener.

Yet another number which is easy on ears, 'O Re Piya' would be enjoyed more with the narrative rather than being played out loud before one has witnessed the situation in the film where the song appears. A song that boasts of good quality but doesn't quite make for a popular track in the offering.

If there is one thing that strikes most about 'Soniye Mil Ja', it is the sound of 'ahas' and 'ohos' which gets the celebration mood rolling. Madhuri Dixit's singing is another good reason to give ' Soniye Mil Ja' a hearing since she adds certain spunk to the proceedings with Sunidhi Chauhan pitching in with a bit as well.

A track about arrival of youth which in turn is a matter of celebration, ' Soniye Mil Ja' is yet another rooted number which finds its base in the interiors of the country and would be appreciated more after one has seen it with the movie. Also, Piyush Mishra's lyrics are different from 'pyaar-mohabbat' routine and instead talk about situations in simple words sans any complications with incidents from everyday life.

After 'Ishq Hua', 'Is Pal' is the second hardcore romantic track to arrive in the album. Yet again, the singing 'jodi' is the same with Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal though the lyricist changes from Jaideep Sahni to Piyush Mishra. In fact, the overall mood created by ' Is Pal' is similar to that of 'Ishq Hua' and if you a die hard romantic, it may not be a bad idea to put both the songs together in a repeat mood and play them for hours at stretch. No, 'Is Pal' may not be the next chartbuster track in the offering but those who swear by melodious music and love to be entertained with soothing numbers, this is just the right one!

An out and out situational track which is perhaps made for a situation for a stage performance in Aaja Nachle comes in the form of 'Koi Patthar Se Na Maare'. Musically, this one written by Piyush Mishra is the weakest of the lot musically as it hardly comes with a retention value. A slow moving pensive number with Sunidhi Chauhan, Shreya Ghoshal and Sonu Nigam at the helm, ' Koi Patthar Se Na Maare' gets poetic but tests the patience of a listener who till this point was enjoying a mix of melody and rhythm in the offering. Skip this one.

New find Sonia Saigal croons the English track ' Dance With Me' penned by Asif Ali Beg who in the past has written for films like Neal N Nikki, Dhoom 2 and Victoria No. 203 amongst others. Surprisingly, the dance number here isn't quite the kind which makes you go 'wow' and play the track in a repeat mode. The song sounds like an 80s disco track and even the arrangements are hardly the kind which suit the grandeur of a Yash Raj setting. Very average with all hopes centered on the eventual picturisation of the song!

In the end, one still feels that there could have been more to the film's soundtrack to make it outstanding, something which is not really the case. One misses the presence of something exceptional the music of Aaja Nachle; not quite an unreasonable demand to begin with! Of course 'Koi Patthar Se Na Maare' and 'Dance With Me' don't really make you go for that 'repeat' option but then there are definite hits like Aaja Nachle and 'Show Me Your Jalwa waiting to explode with good melodies like 'Ishq Hua' and 'Is Pal' sure to catch the fancy of those who are in love.

The big fight between the two Diwali releases Om Shanti Om and Saawariya continues. While their media lau-nches are going at par—if OSO's Deepika Padukone grooved on ZeeTV's SaReGa-MaPa Challenge 2007, then the Saawariya newbies Ranbir Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor enthralled all on Amul Star Voice of India. If OSO tied up with Shopper's Stop to launch two clotheslines based on its theme, Saawariya has a merchandise tie-up from bed sheets to wardrobe with Future Group. However, on the music front, the scales as of now seem to be tipped slightly in favour of OSO.

That could also be courtesy its music release happening a week prior to Saawariya. "While OSO debuted by topping Planet M's national sales charts for two weeks, Saawariya was number one last week. However, current week's sales have once again put OSO on top riding on Dard-e-disco," reveals a source from the music retail chain Planet M, Mumbai. The top draw in the Saawariya album, however, happens to be it's mesmerising title track, which according to Monty is also director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's favourite song from the film.

While the producers battle it out for the release strategy for the two films, the music shops could not be happier with the clash. "There's been a 25 per cent boost on total album sales of Planet M nationally courtesy the sales of the music albums of OSO and Saawariya alone. The numbers are phenomenal. Both these albums have notched up a near 100 per cent rise in terms of sheer volumes over any film album released in the last six months," says Planet M sources.

For trivia enthusiasts, Team Vishal and Shekhar finished the OSO compositions in a week. On the other hand, for Saawariya's debut music director, Monty, it has been a two-and-a-half year journey with perfectionist director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. But making music for OSO was also not easy, especially when it came to musically match its protagonists' onscreen journey from the 1977 to 2007. "The songs are lavish, with Pyarelal bhai arranging the music for Dhoom tana like the elaborate orchestrations of yore. However, the title track, which was recorded in Prague with the Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, was the most challenging," says Shekhar.

The efforts are already showing on popularity charts. "OSO's music sales have been rocking. In fact, after Main Hoon Na, this is the only commercial film of a Shah Rukh album in a long time and was eagerly awaited by all his fans," says Vinod Bhanushali, VP, marketing and promotions, Super Cassettes Ind. Ltd.

This may be music for Team OSO but the real battle is still ahead on November 9, when the films finally release.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali's upcoming movie, Saawariya is now rocking in Indian media. With its two star debutants, Sonam Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor, all of them are now the headlines of news. Monty Sharma, music director of Saawariya, has already got lots of positive response from the fans for his impressive performance with the music tracks of Saawariya.

It is reported that Monty Sharma has taken two years to complete the songs of the movie. Sanjay Leela Bhansali has fame for his perfectionist mentality. He wants everything in the right place and in right combination. So, Monty had to work hard with the songs of the movie. Now, having seen lots of positive response for the audio tracks of Saawariya, Monty thinks that his efforts in Saawariya have paid off. Well, the movie will be released on 9 November and it is yet to see if Saawariya can live up to the expectations of Bollywood fans.

Shooting for Ugly Aur Pagli has been quite an experience for Mallika Sherawat. Recently, the actress and Ranvir Shorey were chased by a bull while riding a scooter for a scene.

Mallika, who was riding the scooter, froze when she realised that a bull was chasing them. What's worse is that it was her first time on a scooter. Even Ranvir, who was riding pillion, didn't know what to do.

Remembering the incident, Ranvir laughs, "While riding the scooter, Mallika was required to hoot loudly. When she started hooting, a bull on the streets got petrified, turned around and started chasing us. Mallika was so scared she threw her hands up in the air, saying 'I don't know what to do! I don't know what to do!' That's when I grabbed the handle of the bike and managed to save ourselves. Thankfully, the bull gave up and stopped following us. Neither of us were wearing red, but the bike was red."

'It may sound stupid but it is true. The first time I met Ranbir Kapoor was when he was a 'Kiddy Kapoor', around seven or eight years old. Neetuji, along with the cute little Ranbir, used to come and drop off Riddhima at her tuitions, in Khar West, Mumbai. It so happened that I had accompanied my friend to the same tuitions. But little did I know that the shy boy hiding behind Neetuji would one day make his parents proud. Now he is not known as a Kid but as a Kapoor's kid and on November 9, we all will know him as Ranbir Kapoor, the actor.'

Devansh Patel talks with Ranbir Kapoor, the star kid who is about to shine high and bright in the years to come and one name who will carry the golden words of Hindi cinema forward - 'The show must go on'.

What sentence will best describe you - New kid on the block or Kapoor's kid on the block?

Definitely, the statement, 'New kid on the block', at this moment is the best sentence to describe me.

Saawariya is a dream come to true for any debutant. Do you think your dreams have come true with Saawariya?

Absolutely, my dream was to work with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. With that aim, I assisted him in the film Black and today my dream has come true.

According to Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Saawariya is a simplistic young love story. Does that make Saawariya simply special?

Yes. It is a special film for me, for Sonam and for Sanjay. Since, it is our debut-film it is special for us as newcomers. Saawariya is like a baby for Sanjay Leela Bhansali. Saawariya is a fantastic film about an unknown time and a place never visited. But you can still identify with the characters, the time and the place.

The hype surrounding the film is huge and expectations from you are immense. What is going through your mind right now as we talk?

Right now I am a little blank. I am in a state of shock because there is so much happening so fast, and then I dreamt of all these things while growing up, about being an aspiring actor, my first film, my first fan, my first autograph, etc. But when all of this is happening right now in front of my eyes all of a sudden I am speechless. It is quite heart warming. You are right! The hype surrounding the film and its music, its actors and the director will always be there and I hope that when Saawariya releases, the hype sustains and people are not disappointed.

Describe your role in Saawariya.

The character I play is called Ranbir Raj. He is a very happy go lucky man who is also a dreamer. At the moment that's all I can reveal.

We all know Sanjay Leela Bhansali as a perfectionist. Were there any signs of imperfectness from him during the making of Saawariya?

No never, and not even for a second did I or anybody else see Sanjay Leela Bhansali being imperfect, because to him, work is everything. It comes before anyone else. Each frame for him is like a painting. He will never let the performers falter, the cinematography, the sets, the music; everything is done to the extent of detailed perfection. So there was no way Sanjay could be imperfect.

Any memorable moments you can think of during the making of Saawariya?

There are plenty but one in particular I can think of right now is during the first schedule of filming, I had a long monologue to do in one shot at a dramatic pace. While doing the readings I was very scared. I questioned myself whether I will be able to do it? If yes then will it be done in one shot or not? Things like that made me wonder what will happen next. On the day of the shoot, Mr. Bhansali came up to me, spoke a lot about the scene, and then told me to give a take. So we shot it and in the second take, it was approved. The entire team started clapping. Then I remember I went to my room to eat my lunch and Mr. Bhansali came in and told me: "Today I feel an actor has arrived and I will come and have lunch with you."

When you travel on the streets of Mumbai, how does it feel to see yourself wrapped in a white towel on a giant hoarding?

I do not know how to express what I was feeling at that moment. However, if I were to die tomorrow and God comes to me and asks me to list the ten best moments of my life; the day I first saw myself not in the mirror but on the hoarding would top my list for sure. I always dreamt of my first banner and I remember telling Mr. Bhansali about it. So, one day he just surprised me and took me out for a drive only to show me my first billboard of Saawariya.

Talking about your acting abilities, do you feel you have inherited your skills in acting or is it something you've learnt?

I don't think so. Acting is not inborn and it's not a written rule that a great actor's son will be a good actor also. You have to work hard towards it. Personally, I have learnt a lot from my director Sanjay Leela Bhansali. It has been a continuous learning experience from my days as an assistant with him on Black to an actor in Saawariya. Today I know acting because of Mr. Bhansali's training, guidance, and blessings.

Let's talk about your co-star in the film, Sonam Kapoor. Brief us a little bit about your on screen and off screen chemistry.

Sonam is an extremely warm person by heart. She is an honest and a hard working girl and has the same passion and dedication that her father has. She has brought all this along with her on the sets. She had no tantrums and no ego clashes, etc. On the contrary, she was very helpful and supportive and we both were constantly there for each other. It's also a sweet coincidence that we both are starting our film careers with Saawariya. Sonam has given a lot to me in this film and will work with her again in the near future.

You've seen a 90kg Sonam while working with her on Black. When you see her now how does it feel?

It feels weightless. Anyone who is overweight and has to loose so much of weight for her role requires a lot of hard work and commitment. It was a do or die situation as far as Sonam was concerned because she was trying to shed weight to become an actress. She had to look perfect and look at her now, she is looking gorgeous. It's not easy and not everyone's cup of tea. I've got so many friends who are trying to loose weight since years and it just doesn't happen. Sonam lost weight only because she was focused and had a strong mind.

We know that you love wearing and collecting caps. Is that the reason why you are wearing a cap in the title song holding a guitar?

No not at all, yes, I do have a fascination with caps ever since I was a kid. I am not saying that I have a rare collection or something but whenever I do travel I make sure that I buy a cap or two because I like wearing caps. In the film, it's only in that particular song that I sport a cap because the character's outfit had to look like one with a cap, accessories, etc. but I am not wearing a cap throughout the film.

How true is the fact that 'Ranbir Kapoor is going to set the dance floor on fire'?

Oh! I think it's absolutely false. I don't consider myself as a good dancer. I have a long way to go. Right now what you're seeing in the promos is Mr. Bhansali's specialization in songs, his shot taking abilities, understanding of the moment, the look and expressions while dancing, the choreography, the sets, the way Ravi Chandran captured the songs in his lens, so on and so forth. Credit goes to all of them. I cannot take the credit for being a good dancer because everyone mentioned above have contributed a lot to it.

So far from what we have seen, it looks as if Saawariya is going to be a film with blue and green color. It also looks a bit too dark. What do you have to say?

Well, that is the color pallet of the film. That's the backdrop of the film. Saawariya is a very entertaining film and it's not dark at all. When you see the film you'll have a smile on your face and a tear in your eye.

To promote Saawariya, we saw you, Sonam and Mr. Bhansali on the sets of Amul Star Voice of India singing along with the participants. Is this so necessary because Bhansali's previous films didn't have such kind of publicity and still did well?

It is necessary now. You are right. Sonam and I are new comers and the audiences need to warm up to us and meet us so they can connect to us while they see Saawariya. These are new ways of marketing any film and if it does no harm to the film and its team why not go for it? When you work so hard you also need to be a part of the promotion and that's exactly what we were doing there. We make a film for our audiences so why not meet and greet them and be a part of them?

Which is your favorite song from Saawariya?

My favorite track keeps on changing from time to time. Right now I am listening a lot to 'Pari'.

Saawariya is a fresh new perspective for Sanjay Leela Bhansali Films because there are many new comers in the film, from actors to music director to playback singers. Any comment?

It is true and not many can do what Sanjay has done in Saawariya. The entire team of Saawariya is young and fresh. In fact, Mr. Bhansali has come out with a new thought process in Saawariya, he was more than willing to adapt to it, and that is how Saawariya was born. Mr. Bhansali is not stuck in one time zone. He likes experimenting and is giving himself space to grow which is fantastic. Filmmaking is a risk but I don't accept that. You will see big banner films with even bigger stars faring badly at the Box Office and critically and small budget films with lesser-known stars getting good reviews. You are right; it is a fresh new perspective to filmmaking.

What did you learn from your senior co-stars in Saawariya - Salman Khan and Rani Mukherji?

I did not have an opportunity to share screen space with Salman sir but I am really close to him. He treats me like his younger brother, guides me, advices me, gives me lot of support and love. On the other hand, it was a pleasure to work with Rani Mukherji. What can I say about her, she is a great actor. I've learned so much from her. And the fact that you need to keep up with her when sharing screen space, is in itself a challenge, which has improved me as an actor.

Let's go in a flash back mode. Any of your dad's film you'd like to watch again and again?

I really like his performance in Zamane Ko Dikhana Hai.

Any film you would hate to watch of Rishiji?

That has to be Jai Hind - The pride.

Are you your papa's son or mama's son?

I am more close to mom so I'm mama's son. I love dad too.

Any memorable film you'd keep watching with Rishiji and Neetuji as onscreen couple?

I would say Rafoo Chakkar.

The grapevine hears that you've also signed films with Yash Raj and other big directors. How far is that true?

No not at all. It's false. I haven't signed anything yet. I am too busy and attached with Saawariya and anxiously waiting for the release of my debut film. Once the film releases, I'll take my decisions. As of now I am reading a few scripts but haven't committed to anyone yet.

Do you think that you will have to stick to your grandfathers golden words - 'The show must go on'?

Of course, that line is carved in all of us in the family. We are born with it.

We also hear that you and Sonam are not going to be present in London for the promotion of your film. Is it true?

I'm not sure at the moment. We might be coming to London but it's just that we are so tied up with our last leg of promotions with so many places to go. We would love to come to London because it's one of the hubs of Indian cinema with lots of movie goers who love Indian films. We will definitely make all our efforts to go there.

Why should one go and watch Saawariya?

I will not say that Saawariya is a different film. I would like to say that please go and watch Saawariya because it's my first film and above all, it's a Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film and I promise you that you will not be disappointed after seeing it.