Promos of Befikre suggest plenty of onscreen kisses, but Kapoor has been there, done that"in Shuddh Desi Romance (opposite Sushant Singh Rajput) and the 2014 Telugu and Tamil remakes of Band Baaja Baaraat (2010), called Aaha Kalyanam (opposite Nani). Befikre is said to feature as many as 23 kisses, and one begins to wonder if there's any time left to tell a story. Kapoor smiles as she explains: "I didn't count the number of kisses. Nobody on the team really focussed on it. It's treated very naturally, more as a symbol of love and warmth, like a hug. The kisses are classy, not crass. As for the story, it is a rom-com, a light-hearted comedy. Every Indian movie ends with a dramatic twist; this one is pleasantly refreshing, with nothing too dramatic happening. It's a happy film about two people in fearless love, embracing life. And yet it retains the soul of Yash Raj and Aditya Chopra."
On further prodding, Kapoor adds, "It's about a young girl who takes charge of her life. It's about not conforming to what the society thinks. It's about a girl who is born and brought up in Paris to Indian parents. She is independent. She falls in love, has a heartbreak, fixes herself and moves on," she says.
Aren't her conservative Delhi-based parents a bit scandalised? "Yes, I come from a protective family. I wasn't even allowed to sleep over at a friend's place as a child. Luckily, my father has evolved. He supports me today and knows it's a part of my job."
All or nothing
Kapoor isn't dating anyone right now but she's quite clear about what she expects from a partner. "I don't believe in casual dating; I would rather be in a proper relationship. In Mumbai I don't know many people, I only know colleagues. And I'm wary of dating actors"loyalty is very important to me," she says.
When it comes to her career, she wants it all. "I want to be a part of the best movies that are being made, and to work with the best directors. Otherwise, I will just pack up and leave. I am open to starting all over again. Right now my ambition is to have a home of my own in Mumbai, to do things for my family, to give back"they have done a lot for me. I don't want to end up being dependent on anyone. Even if I'm here for just three more years, I'll do a good job. No point being around for 10 years and doing crappy films." Kapoor has the arresting looks, killer attitude and the natural talent to carve her own place in Bollywood. I hope that even if her new film is a dud, she shines in it like Anushka Sharma did in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008). Then she can go about finding love, befikar se.
Kapoor tells me she's enjoyed this conversation, and, as if to convey this, gives me a warm hug. Not kiss No. 24, though.
Read the complete interview in Vogue India's December 2016 issue that hits stands on December 3, 2016.
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