It’s very important for me to stay fit for getting good roles: Vaani Kapoor

After spending 10 years acting in Bollywood, Vaani Kapoor has become a well-known face among the audience.

The 34-year-old started working in the film industry in 2013 and has come a long way, establishing herself as one of the more
popular actresses.

The Delhi-born cinema star, who started her career as a model after earning a bachelor’s degree in tourism from Indira
Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and working at the Oberoi Hotels & Resorts and ITC group of hotels, is not only
beautiful but also bold enough to portray different roles in a variety of films.

Vaani wasn’t born with a silver spoon with none of her parents involved in the film industry. Father Shiv Kapoor owns a furniture business in Gurugram while mother Dimpy is a marketing professional.

It was modelling that opened the gates for her in the Bollywood film industry.

The big banner 2016 film Befikre by Yash Chopra’s son Aditya Chopra brought her into limelight and her on-screen chemistry with Ranveer Singh was appreciated a lot.

But it was her boldness to do 23 kisses that won the audience’s hearts. She played the role of Shreya Gill, a French tourist guide of Indian descent.

Vaani also acted in Shuddh Desi Romance, Aaha Kalyanam, War, Bell Bottom, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui (she played the role of a trans-gender) and Shamshera, which was released last year.

Apart from Bollywood movies, she has also acted in Telugu and Tamil films.

Vaani is currently working in the upcoming film Sarvagunn Sampanna, which is directed by Sonali Rattan Deshmukh who worked as assistant director in films such as Mithya, Jannat: In search of Heaven and Shiddat.

In an exclusive interview with Patriot, the actress talked about the upcoming movie and various other things.

Q: Can you talk about Sarvagunn Sampanna and your role in it?

A: Sarvagunn Sampanna is a socialcomedy. My role in this movie is very different from what I have played in other films. In this film, I am playing the role of a woman who fights for integrity. I am sure, the audience will enjoy my role, since the story has a social angle.

Q: You have worked with big names in the industry. Working with Sonali Rattan, a relatively young director, must be refreshing.

A: I enjoyed working with Sonali. She is a very talented young director who is known for successful films such as Mithya and Shiddat. As an actress, I am fortunate to have got the opportunity to work with big banners such as Yash Raj Films. I also got to work with Siddharth Anand, Aditya Chopra and now Sonali Rattan. All these directors are brilliant and I feel blessed to have worked with them.

Q: How was the experience working with Ranveer Singh? Did you enjoy shooting with him in Paris?

A: He bullied me a lot and was mean to me while working in Befikre. I was a victim of his pranks but still, I loved working with him and enjoyed his pranks.

Paris is an excellent holiday spot and I enjoyed shooting there. I loved the people there and the city’s culture. Paris attracts millions of people like me. Also, my chemistry with Ranveer is quite good, and I enjoy working and shooting with him.

I would say that my experience while shooting in Paris with Ranveer was very refreshing and due to those bold scenes involving kisses, the audience got attracted to the movie a lot. A long time has passed since that movie was shot but those beautiful moments are firmly etched in my memory and I cannot forget them.

Q: You said that audience got attracted to Befikre a lot. Many of those who loved the film were teenagers, what do you have to say about it?

A: You are absolutely right [that it attracted teenagers]. Befikre is a romantic movie and Ranveer Singh played the role of Dharam Gulati, who is a flirtatious boy. Befikre’s trailer encapsulated the essence of the film quite well. Audience particularly loved the flirting and kissing scenes.

Q: Do you feel comfortable in a bikini? Tell us something about your fitness regime.

A: Yes, I am happy and comfortable wearing a bikini on the beach or even doing strip-tease with full liberty in front of people just like I did in Shuddh Desi Romance. But, on the other hand, I am also attracted to Indian dresses and love to wear ethnic attire. That’s my traditional Indian look. I work out regularly in the gym and I am quite disciplined about my fitness regime. As an actress, it’s very important for me to be fit for getting good roles.

Q: How does it feel winning the Filmfare Award?

A: I felt great on getting the Filmfare Award. It is a recognition as an actress, and I feel quite humbled to receive this prestigious award and I am quite fortunate to have earned it at a very young age.

Q: Tell us something about your connection with Delhi. What do you like the most about it?

A: I love Delhi. It’s my birthplace and I have my home here. My parents live in Delhi and I enjoy visiting it from time to time.

I love going to Sarojini Nagar and Janpath for shopping. I always look forward to visiting these lovely places. It is something I miss while living in Mumbai.

Q: What drives your performance, is it money or passion?

A: I work for passion and the love for cinema. I want to be remembered for my brilliant performances. I don’t only focus on money while acting in films.

Q: What is your message to fans?

A: I am blessed for having so many fans and also their love and affection, which I have been getting for a long time. I always work hard to do justice to my role and love to perform better and want to entertain them and I hope that they will love my performance in the upcoming film as it is very different from my previous roles.