They say that coming from star families must be easy, convenient and a lucky spot to be in. But do these film kids really don’t face any problems in terms of their career? How easy or difficult is it to maintain their family’s legacy? Cousins Sonam and Arjun Kapoor sit down to talk about their kind of struggles with Anupam Kher. Presenting ten things you didn’t know about these film kids.
1.Both went through major transformation

Even though Sonam was fragile as a child she clarifies that there was one year in her life when she in Malaysia when she really put on weight. “It feels sad that my being fat before joining movies was widely discussed when it was just for one year. I had to lose 30kgs in that phase of life.” 

Similarly, Arjun was known to be hefty kid and claims he was 140kgs before superstar Salman Khan came into his life. “It took me 4 years to lose 50kgs and this happened after Salman Sir said to me, ‘Tumhare andar se main ek insaan nikalunga.’ He actually did that! I had decided I would not give up and continued working towards it.”

2.Sonam's first job was of a waitress

While being a star kid may have its perks but Sonam has a different story to tell. “My parents, especially my mother, never gave too much pocket money. So I took up a job as a waitress so to earn extra money. But managed to do it only for 1 week, cannot explain how bad I was! They were not even ready to buy me a car so I would take lifts to travel around.”

3.Arjun became an introvert in his teens

When Arjun was 10 years of age his parents, Boney and Mona Kapoor separated, and that put the kids Arjun and Anshula in a dilemma. “When I would go to school my friends would question since it became a tabloid matter. And I really had no idea what to answer. Slowly I stopped going to school, put on weight and I became an introvert person.”

4.Sonam was offered Saawariya when she was 17

When Sonam was 17 years of age she joined director Sanjay Leela Bhansali as an Assistant Director. But it was on her first day itself that Sanjay offered her the role in Saawariya. “When I met him he said I look like an Ajanta painting. I never knew I was good looking so was never sure of becoming an actress. It took him one and half years to convince me to do the role.”

5.Arjun grew up on film sets

Like many of his actor friends, Arjun too grew up on film sets and was exposed to the film world quite early in life. “I remember visiting my Dad on the sets of Roop ki Rani Choron ka Raja and the hustle bustle on the sets made me happy. Everyone busy working, the lights, camera trolleys, fans shouting on seeing Anil Kappor and Sridevi; seeing all this I decided that this is where I want to be all my life.”

6.Sonam doesn’t want to marry an actor

Seeing her father Anil Kapoor spend so much of his early married life away from family made Sonam change her choices in boys. “My father cannot absolutely without his wife. They’re such a loving couple. Now my mother has the luxury of spending time with him but when we were growing up they couldn’t do so. And seeing that I decided I don’t want to marry an actor.”

7.Arjun’s mother has always been his life support

While Boney and Mona Kaporo separated when Arjun was 10 years old, she always stood by Arjun in all his life’s decisions. “My mother was, is and will always be my backbone. Before losing her life to cancer and before the disease took over I don’t think I knew any other person who was always happy. Whatever I’m today is because of her and I have fond memories of her smiling at me.”

8.Both value the life given to them because of parents

Coming from a filmy background also comes with the responsibility to maintain the legacy but both Sonam and Arjun value it and are grateful. Sonam said, “Every 2-3 years my father will take me to Chembur and show me his old house. Its his way of showing that he has worked hard for 25 years and he always wanted to give us children an easy life, which he couldn’t have.” Even Arjun resonates her feelings, “for us it’s like our parents have given us this position and we immensely respect it and value it and are completely ready to take the legacy forward.”

9. Sonam uses her family like her shield

There have been many times in Sonam’s life that she has had to use her brother’s name to get rid of unwanted admirers. Arjun recalled an incident from school. “Sonam would every time use our names like we’re expert in gunda-gardi. So one time in school she came up to me and complained about a boy and I like a charged-up brother went and pulled him by his collar. Next thing I knew he had punched me and I later found out he was a National level boxer!”

10.Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai moment

Every time celebs come to the show and share some interesting incidences of their lives which they claim changed their lives. Here’s what Sonam and Arjun had to share:

Arjun Kapoor – If a boy like me who was way too fat can today feature on the cover of a magazine, that too bare body, then I believe ‘life mein Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai!’

Sonam Kapoor – When I worked with Sanjay for Saawariya he would exactly tell me what to do in a scene. But same wasn’t the case when I worked with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra for Delhi 6. So before shooting the song Masakali I started to cry because I didn’t know what to do and he came up to me and said, ‘listen if I didn’t believe that you could do your work well I would have never taken you. Believe in yourself.’ If I could dance in that song with a pigeon on my head, then ‘life mein Kuch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai!’”