Sonam Kapoor on attending National Awards: ‘My dad will be my date’

Sonam Kapoor has been awarded the Special Mention for Neerja (for A convincing performance of a real-life icon) in the National Film Awards. The awards is given for outstanding performance in the field of entertainment including films, acting, music or writing and the recipients are awarded with certificate of merit. Nine years ago, Sonam’s father Anil Kapoor was given the Special Jury award and the then 21-year-old Sonam had received it on his behalf. This year, it will be Anil escorting her. She talks about the special mention...

Who’s accompanying you to the event?

My dad will accompany me as my date. I remember, for Gandhi My Father, we had to go a day before for the rehearsals and I had gone on stage with him. Dad got the best actor award for Pukar (2000). I remember that we all went as a family to collect that award. If I attend this year, I am obviously taking my family with me. I hope my Neerja director Ram (Madhvani) will be also there. All credit goes to him.

What was your first thought when you heard that you got a Special Mention?

It came as a huge shock to me. I wasn’t expecting it at all. I am still in shock. I just knew Neerja had won. I didn’t know that Special Mention is a full-on award till Shabana aunty (Azmi) and Anupam uncle (Kher) explained how important it was.

You have been recognised for your acting at a young age. Do you stand vindicated?

It’s a great validation. Having said that I will add that I’ve never let success or failure go to my head. But I’m completely overwhelmed by the honour. What was really surreal about the whole things was that the last shot of Neerja — her last rites was shot on the Narmada river in Maheshwar. It was on my first day of shoot for Padman at the same place in Maheshwar that I heard that I had received the Special Merit.

Whom did you call first and give the news?

I was shooting for Padman the entire night and my team gave me the news. My mom and Rhea were the first to call, followed by Mr Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan among others.

Alia Bhatt was one of the first actresses to congratulate you on Twitter. Yet there were stories about both of you fighting over the award for Best Actress. Comment.

It was really gracious of her, though I’m sure she laughed at the rumours of a friction between us as much as I did.

What was the toughest thing about playing Neerja?

It would have to be the climax, as the situation was overwhelming. Being in that space only reminded one of what she must have faced.

Both you and your Padman co-star Akshay Kumar are now National Award winners. Akshay even posted a picture of your and his shocked reactions to the news... 

I have huge respect for Akshay sir. There was a mini celebration on the set when we got the news.