Sonam Kapoor facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sonam Kapoor
Kapoor in 2017
Born	(1985-06-09) 9 June 1985 (age 40) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2007–2023
Spouse(s)	Anand Ahuja ​ (m. 2018)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Anil Kapoor (father)
Relatives	Surinder Kapoor family
Awards	Full list

Sonam Kapoor Ahuja (born June 9, 1985) is a famous Indian actress who stars in Hindi movies. She has won many awards, like a National Film Award and a Filmfare Award. She was one of the highest-paid actresses in Hindi films during the 2010s. Sonam Kapoor was also featured in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 list for several years.

Sonam is the daughter of actor Anil Kapoor. She started her career helping director Sanjay Leela Bhansali with his 2005 film Black. She made her acting debut in Bhansali's romantic movie Saawariya (2007). Her first big success was the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010).

A turning point in her career was the 2013 hit movie Raanjhanaa. She received great reviews and nominations for Best Actress. Sonam also had big successes with supporting roles in the biopics Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013) and Sanju (2018). Her main role in the romance Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015) was also very popular. These films are among the highest-grossing Bollywood films.

Her role as Neerja Bhanot in the 2016 thriller Neerja was highly praised. For this, she won a National Film Award – Special Mention and a Filmfare Award for Best Actress (Critics). She then starred in the 2018 female buddy film Veere Di Wedding. Both Neerja and Veere Di Wedding are among the highest-grossing Hindi films led by women.

Sonam Kapoor supports raising awareness about breast cancer and LGBT rights. She is known for speaking her mind and is often called one of India's most fashionable celebrities. She is married to businessman Anand Ahuja, and they have a son.

Early Life and Family

Kapoor with her father Anil Kapoor at a film's screening in Mumbai, 2011

Sonam Kapoor was born in Chembur, Mumbai on June 9, 1985. Her father is the famous actor and producer Anil Kapoor. Her mother, Sunita, used to be a model and a designer. Sonam has two younger siblings: a sister named Rhea, who is a film producer, and a brother named Harshvardhan, who is also an actor.

Her uncles are film producer Boney Kapoor and actor Sanjay Kapoor. Her aunts were actresses Sridevi and Mona Shourie. Many of her cousins are also actors, including Arjun Kapoor, Janhvi Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, Mohit Marwah, and Ranveer Singh.

When Sonam was one month old, her family moved to Juhu. She went to Arya Vidya Mandir school in Juhu. She said she was a "naughty" and "carefree" child who sometimes teased boys. She was good at sports like rugby and basketball. She also learned Kathak (a classical Indian dance), classical music, and Latin dance. Sonam practices Hinduism and says she is "quite religious."

Sonam's first job was as a waitress when she was 15, but it only lasted a week. As a teenager, she faced some health challenges. She was diagnosed with insulin resistance and a health condition called polycystic ovarian disease. She has since started a project to help people learn more about diabetes.

Sonam studied theatre and arts at the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore. She later started courses in economics and political science through the University of Mumbai. She had originally wanted to be a director and writer. A family friend, actress Rani Mukerji, suggested she work on the film Black (2005). Sonam became an assistant to director Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

Acting Journey and Success

Starting Out in Films (2007–2012)

While working on Black, Sonam became interested in acting. Director Bhansali wanted her to star in his next film, Saawariya. He advised her to lose weight, and she lost 35 kg in two years. Sonam studied acting with different teachers and looked up to actresses like Waheeda Rehman and Nutan.

Kapoor with Ranbir Kapoor, Rani Mukerji & Salman Khan at the audio launch of her debut film Saawariya in 2007

Saawariya was released in 2007. Sonam played a Muslim woman waiting for her lover. The film did not do well with critics or at the box office. However, it earned her a nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut.

In 2009, Sonam starred in Delhi-6, playing an aspiring singer. The film received mixed reviews and was not a big success. However, critics praised Sonam's performance, calling her "a revelation" and an "earnest and effortless performer."

Her first film in 2010 was the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys. She played a woman who falls for her co-worker. This film was Sonam's first commercial success, earning a lot of money worldwide.

Sonam then played the main role in Aisha, a romantic comedy based on Jane Austen's novel Emma. Her sister Rhea produced this film. Sonam described her character as someone who loves to play Cupid and set people up. Reviewers felt Sonam stood out in the film.

Later, Sonam starred in Thank You and Mausam. These films did not do very well. In 2012, she played a computer hacker in the heist film Players. This film also failed to do well. This series of unsuccessful films made her career difficult for a while.

Big Successes (2013–2015)

Sonam's role in the romantic drama Raanjhanaa (2013) changed her career. She played Zoya Haider, a young student who gets involved in politics. To prepare, Sonam met with students and practiced with theatre groups. She also studied Jaya Bachchan's work in Guddi (1971). Critics praised her performance, saying she did some of her best work. Raanjhanaa was a big commercial success, and Sonam received her first nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress.

Kapoor promoting Raanjhanaa in 2013

After Raanjhanaa, Sonam had a small role in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013), a film about athlete Milkha Singh. This film was also a big success and one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films that year. Both Raanjhanaa and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag were nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Film, with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag winning.

In 2014, Sonam starred in the comedy-drama Bewakoofiyaan. She then played the main role in Khoobsurat, a remake of a 1980 film. She received a Filmfare Best Actress nomination for this role.

In 2015, Sonam played a runaway bride in Dolly Ki Doli, a comedy film. Despite some negative reviews for her acting, she was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. While filming Prem Ratan Dhan Payo with Salman Khan in 2015, Sonam was diagnosed with swine influenza but recovered quickly. She played Rajkumari Maithili Devi, a princess. The film became one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time.

Acclaimed Roles and Marriage (2016–2018)

Kapoor at an event for Neerja in 2016. Her performance in the film won her a National Film Award – Special Mention and a Filmfare Best Actress (Critics).

After appearing in Coldplay's music video "Hymn for the Weekend", Sonam starred in the biographical thriller Neerja (2016). She played Neerja Bhanot, a brave air hostess who died saving passengers during a plane hijacking in 1986. Sonam felt a big responsibility for this role because it was based on real events. Critics highly praised the film and Sonam's performance, calling it her best work. She won a National Film Award – Special Mention and a Filmfare Best Actress (Critics). Neerja was a huge success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films with a female lead.

After two years, Sonam returned to the screen in Pad Man (2018). She played a social worker in this comedy-drama, which was inspired by the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who worked to improve menstrual hygiene in rural India. Sonam liked being in a film that talked about important social issues.

On May 8, 2018, Sonam Kapoor married Indian businessman Anand Ahuja in a traditional Sikh ceremony in Bandra, Mumbai. The next month, she starred in Veere Di Wedding, a film about female friends, alongside Kareena Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar, and Shikha Talsania. The film was a big success, earning a lot of money. Later that month, Sonam appeared in Sanju, a film about Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt. She played one of Dutt's love interests. Sanju broke many box-office records and became one of the highest-grossing Indian films.

Recent Work (2019–2023)

In 2019, Sonam starred in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, alongside her father. She played a young woman who is lesbian and struggles to tell her family. She took on this role to help break stereotypes about same-sex relationships in India. Critics praised the film for its positive message, but it did not do well at the box office. Sonam then starred in The Zoya Factor, where she played a clumsy woman who becomes a lucky charm for the Indian cricket team.

In August 2022, Sonam Kapoor gave birth to a son. She has said that being a mother will be her main focus, but she does not plan to stop working completely. In July 2023, her thriller film Blind, which she filmed in Scotland in 2020, was released online.

In the Media

Kapoor in 2017

Sonam Kapoor comes from a well-known acting family and has been in the media since she was young. She is one of the highest-paid actresses in Bollywood. After the success of Raanjhanaa and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, she was seen as one of the top actresses in India. In 2009, she was the first Indian actress to be on The Hollywood Reporter's "Next Generation: Asia Class" list, which features new talents in film. Sonam is known for being outspoken, and her comments sometimes cause discussion. She believes it is important to be honest.

Sonam is very popular in India and has many followers on social media like Twitter and Facebook. In 2015, she was on The Huffington Post's list of "100 most influential women on Twitter." The media often calls her a style icon. She has been on lists of "Bollywood's Best Dressed Actresses" and was named Style Icon (Reader's Choice) by Hindustan Times and Beauty of the Year by Vogue in 2013.

Sonam has also been on the "Celebrity 100" lists by Forbes India, which rank Indian celebrities based on their income and popularity. She was named Woman of the Year by GQ India in 2013. She has won several awards at the Filmfare Glamour and Style Awards for her fashion sense.

Sonam promotes many brands, including Colgate, Electrolux, Lux, Mont Blanc, Oppo Mobile, Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A., and Signature. She is also the Indian ambassador for the international cosmetics company L'Oréal. In 2011, she was named Brand Ambassador of the Year at an awards show.

Helping Others

Kapoor attends a Cuddles Foundation fundraiser in August 2016

Sonam Kapoor supports many charitable organizations. In 2009, she took part in a fashion show that helped widows and orphans of people who worked in the Indian film industry. She also wrote to the Maharashtra Home Minister to protest against the use of glass-coated manja (used on fighter kites), which can harm birds.

In 2012, Sonam asked her fans to donate to the Ogaan Cancer Foundation for her birthday. She also worked with the foundation to raise awareness about breast cancer. She is also a brand ambassador for the Elle Breast Cancer Campaign. Sonam openly supports LGBT rights in India, which means supporting equal rights for all people. In 2017, she helped launch the trailer for Sisak, India's first silent gay love story, on her Twitter account.

Sonam has also used her fashion to help others. In 2012, she auctioned some of her clothes online, and the money went to Smile Foundation, an organization that helps children. In 2014, she attended an art exhibition to raise money for charity. She also donated clothes and accessories to a website that raised funds for an animal welfare group. In 2015, she walked the ramp in a fashion show for the Mijwan Welfare Society, which helps empower girls. The same year, she appeared in a music video called "Dheere Dheere", and the profits from it went to charity. In 2017, she hosted a dinner to raise money for children with cancer.

Filmography

Films

Music videos

Awards and Nominations

Sonam Kapoor has been nominated for six Filmfare Awards. She won one of them: the Best Actress - Critics for her role in Neerja.

See also

In Spanish: Sonam Kapoor para niños