But for the Indian beauty, being propelled to superstardom, courtesy of her new movie Saawariya, has been a shock, especially considering her father and academically-minded mother sheltered Kapoor and her two young siblings from fame and fortune while growing up.

"My father is famous, he's been doing films for more than 30 years, but that doesn't mean we were out there," the 22-year-old says from her home in India.

"I was in boarding school and at college, so I was never in touch with that (fame). My father never let me on the set or allowed me to go to premieres because my mum comes from a very different background where they are all doctors and lawyers, and she was never happy with the whole thing.

"She kept us away from it as much as possible because she wanted us to have a normal life. But thankfully I have been dealt the beautiful hand now of becoming an actor."

In the glittering world of Bollywood, fans treat their A-list stars as royalty, something that Kapoor will soon have to get used to following her turn in Saawariya, her debut film as an actress.

While she has worked with the film's director Sanjay Leela Bhansali for more than four years behind the camera as an assistant on other films, it's only recently that she discovered her passion for acting.

The first Indian movie produced by a Hollywood studio, Saawariya features show-stopping dancing, singing and romantic love scenes, and is based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's White Nights.

Kapoor, who is also in the process of completing a bachelor of arts in economics and diplomatic science at the University of Mumbai has also reportedly found love alongside her new career. She is said to be dating co-star Ranbir Kapoor (no relation) after the pair became close during the film's year-long filming schedule.

Saawariya revolves around a Hindu boy (Ranbir Kapoor) and a Muslim girl (Sonam Kapoor), and instead of running for three to four hours like most Bollywood films, is only 128 minutes in length.

The charming, free-spirited Raj is a dreamer, who comes to a quaint, picturesque town in Shimla, known for its lakes, mist and heavenly snowfalls. He believes he's found the perfect place to inspire his inner artist. Everything appears to be perfect until he stumbles across the shy, mysterious, and melancholic Sakina, a young woman hiding a secret past.

"Sakina is what any man would fall in love with because she hopes for love," Kapoor says.

"She is never negative, she never had a doubt in her mind that love won't succeed, and that is the beauty of her."

Kapoor is proud of her work and has enjoyed spruiking the film .

"My head is spinning," she says. "I have been counting down the days. It's been great to talk to people about something that I have worked so hard on. It's such a beautiful film and it's been exhilarating putting the word out there."

* Saawariya opens today