Entertainment

I am a feminist

by Trans World Features (TWF) 21 Apr 2014, 07:24 am

Sonam Kapoor wants to use her popularity to create awareness on social causes that she believes in. TWF correspondent Sreya Basu in conversation with the actress in Mumbai

You seem to slowly getting yourself involved in social causes.

There are three causes that are very close to my heart. One is definitely cancer. I have lost a lot of near and dear ones to cancer. And I have been working towards building awareness and creating funds for the past seven years. Another ones is, educating India. I think the root cause of most of the problems that India faces is the lack of education. Illiteracy is the main cause of lack of awareness, prejudice, corruption, sexism, racism … everything. So I think when you educate people, it gives them the power to differentiate between right and wrong. It also gives them the power to get a job, which is very, very important these days. The third cause which is very important to me is to empower women in India … as I am a feminist. In future, I will devote myself more and more towards creating awareness about these three causes and do all I can to help these causes.

You said you have been working on cancer awareness for the last seven years. But we have rarely heard about it. Why is it so?

I used to be very ashamed of making whatever I do for the society, public. But then I realized why not use the platform I have to propagate the causes I believe in. I am not afraid any more to say that I am doing something for the society using my publicity. However, I feel I have not done that much at all with the kind of platform I have been given as a female actor, as someone who is “famous”.  

You said you are a feminist. Name a woman that you admire the most.

There is a woman in my life whose name is Jhumpa Lahiri (Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist). I have never met her, I don’t know her at all. But when I read her books, I fall more and more in love with India.

What do you think makes a woman beautiful?

If you are a woman, if you are happy and if you are proud of yourself, then you automatically become beautiful. It is very important to feel like a woman. You can be in your kurta and pajamas. But if you are clean and presentable, you look gorgeous.  

You and Katrina Kaif endorse the same beauty brand L'Oréal Paris. How is your equation with her?

I know her for a while now. The way Katrina has helped her family and conducted herself on the public platform is extremely commendable. We are constantly discussing a lot of things when we meet.

Do you think the Indian film industry has changed its outlook towards women?

This year I am doing two films which are about women … one is about a woman making a family beautiful (Khubsoorat) and another about a woman rubbing men up her fingers (Dolly Ki Doli). Disney is producing Khubsoorat with my sister Rhea Kapoor and Dolly Ki Doli is being produced by Arbaaz Khan who had made films like Dabangg. If a man like Arbaaz Khan, who makes hardcore commercial films, wants to invest his money on Sonam Kapoor, who is a girl; and if Disney can put so much faith on a woman producer (Rhea) for  its first film in India, I honestly feel that the way the world and the industry looking at women has completely changed.  The kind of roles that are being offered to me are very strong women characters.