Sonam Kapoor's best movies according to Filmfare

Birthday Special: Sonam Kapoor’s best moviesFeatures by Filmfare | Jun 8, 2019

There’s no denying that Sonam Kapoor has already done enough to prove that she’s a star by managing to showcase her swag on and off the screen. The actress has always been vocal about issues that bother her and is certainly one who’s not afraid to speak her mind. With big wig projects like The Zoya Factor in the pipeline, fans of the actress sure have a lot to look forward to. For the uninitiated, Sonam assisted Sanjay Leela Bhansali in Black back in 2005, which went on to become a highly critically acclaimed film. The national award winning actress has proved that she’s more than just a ‘Khoobsurat’ face and can deliver when required. Despite many of her films did not impress the audience thanks to a lackluster screenplay or a weak storyline, Sonam managed to make her presence felt on the big screen. So, on the occasion of her birthday, we decided to list some of her best work on the big screen.

Neerja

Cast: Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, Shabana Azmi and Jim Sarbh

Director: Ram Madhvani

Release Date: 19 February 2016

Neerja without a doubt is one of the most powerful on-screen performances by Sonam Kapoor till date. The film revolves around Neerja Bhanot, who was an attendant on the flight Pan Am 73. The plane takes off from Mumbai and when the New York bound flight lands in Karachi, they’re hijacked by the Abu Nidal organisation, a Libyan-sponsored Palestinian terrorist group.

The Pakistani government tried to buy some time from the terrorists during negotiations however when the power of the plane got cut off after 17 hours into the hijack, they assumed that it was a strategy by the government to raid the plane. This got them panicked and they started killing hostages.

Neeja Bhanot, the head purser on her very first flight, took charge of the situation and opens the emergency exit door directing passengers out of the plane. She chooses to let the passengers exit the plane before her and is shot while shielding three children by a terrorist. Neerja is the kind of project where many Bollywood filmmakers would be tempted to over-dramatize with the help of dialogues and music in turn making the protagonist seem stronger. But, Neerja stayed true to the events that occurred on the Pan Am 73 flight that night. They haven’t tried to present Neerja as a superwoman. They show her vulnerability of opening up after a failed marriage and abusive marriage and her struggle to get over it. Neerja is presented as an ordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances who somehow finds the courage to oppose men with guns.

Raanjhanaa

Cast: Dhanush, Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol and Swara Bhasker

Director: Aanand L Rai

Release Date: 21 June 2013

In Aanand L Rai’s Raanjhanaa, Dhanush plays a boy named Kundan Shankar, who falls for the tinsel town girl Zoya (Sonam Kapoor) despite their cultural differences. However, the villain in the film here is not the class divide but in fact the intellectual divide between the youth of modern India.

After spending time in the city, Zoya feels that she just cannot get married to any villager like Kundan (Dhanush), her childhood sweetheart because she was now too educated to relate to small-town ideals. Aanad L Rai’s story is complex because India is complex as a nation. However, the film does not take anyone’s side but shows their vulnerabilities and flaws in their own way.

Khoobsurat

Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Fawad Khan and Ratna Patak Shah

Director: Shashanka Ghosh

Release Date: 19 September 2014

The film is the official remake of Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s 1980 hit about an effervescent girl who enters a strict household and teaches everyone how to laugh and live life to the fullest.

In the film, Sonam Kapoor played a physiotherapist named Milli Chakrabarty and Fawad Khan was shown to belong from a royal family. Khoobusrat is a film that is very predictable but you still watch it since you enjoy the journey to the ending. Sonam Kapoor delivers an almost flawless performance in the film as she fits the role of the carefree Mili perfectly.

Aisha

Cast: Sonam Kapoor and Abhay Deol

Director: Rajshree Ojha

Release Date: 6 August 2010

Based on Jane Austen’s timeless classic “Emma”, Aisha is set in the midst of a bunch of posh Delhi girls and the events that occur in their life. The film mainly revolves around the life of the extremely sophisticated and suave Aisha Kapoor (Sonam Kapoor), who believes she’s mastered the art of matchmaking. It seems all smooth sailing until Randhir, who is supposed to get married to Shefali (Amrita Puri), falls for Aisha.

Aisha, on the other hand, develops feelings for her childhood buddy Arjun (Abhay Deol). Sonam Kapoor"s portrayal of the super snob and spoilt brattish Aisha is actually quite adorable and was a major factor behind the film coming together so well.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Cast: Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor and Divya Dutta
Director: Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra
Release Date: 11 July 2013

With Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra took a slightly different route as he tried his hands on a biopic. The film revolves around the life of Jeev Milkha Singh aka India’s Flying Sikh. Played by Farhan Akhtar, this film talks gives us a glimpse of his journey of turning into the Flying Sikh. The film shows us the turmoil that was faced by many after India’s partition in 1947 and Milkha’s ladder to success along with his popular rivalry with the Pakistani athlete who was touted to be Asia’s fastest.

Sonam Kapoor played the role of Milkha’s love interest in the film. While she did have a shorter role in the film, she added a lot of value and her chemistry with Farhan was something that left us wanting for more. A lesser known fact about the film is that Sonam only charged a total of Rs. 11 for her work in the film.

Yes, you heard that right. When she was asked about the reason behind her decision during promotions, the actress said, “They had a budget and they told me they can"t give money and that"s why I said give Rs 11 and I will do the film. For me the reason I did Bhaag Milkha Bhaag was that it was an outstanding script, I wanted to work with Farhan Akhtar and I wanted to again work with Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. My role is a pivotal role, and it was an honor to play the part.”

For me her best movies (direction, story and performances) are Neerja ; Raanjhanaa ; Dolly Ki Doli and Aisha.

Khubsoorat was nice enough but I felt something was missing.

I have yet to see her movies from Pad Man to ELKDTAL.

For me her most memorable performance was Saawariya....I couldn’t get my eyes off of her in that movie and then it was followed by Delhi 6 which happens to be my another all time favorite role of hers...IHLS was another good performance...

Originally posted by: cricketfan1

For me her most memorable performance was Saawariya....I couldn’t get my eyes off of her in that movie and then it was followed by Delhi 6 which happens to be my another all time favorite role of hers...IHLS was another good performance...

I agree,Delhi 6 and Saawarya were some of her best performances but alas the movies didn't deliver imo.

Regarding IHLS this movie was a great disappointement for me maybe because I felt a movie reuniting Imran and Sonam should have been better.

From this list I agree with Neerja, Aisha and Raanjhna. I actually found her good in Saawariya, I Hate Love Stories and Dilli6

I loved her role in Ranjhanna. She was a such a gray character. And her role as Aisha was ditzy dumbo from Delhi. She has pretty memorable roles in her bag.

Originally posted by: cricketfan1

For me her most memorable performance was Saawariya....I couldn’t get my eyes off of her in that movie and then it was followed by Delhi 6 which happens to be my another all time favorite role of hers...IHLS was another good performance...

I so agree I loved Sonam in Sawariya and Delhi 6... I haven’t found her as beautiful and adorable as she was in sawariya...

Aisha my guilty pleasure.

She was good in Delhi 6 too.

There can be a pretty good list for her bad movies also 😆