Sonam Kapoor

OT: Any early memories of travelling with your family?

Sonam Kapoor: The best holiday we’ve had together was a trip to Rome many years ago. All we did was sightsee, eat great food (it was Italy!) and have great conversations.

OT: You’ve studied in Singapore. What do you think makes the city so exciting?

Sonam Kapoor: It is the multicultural hotspot it is made out to be. So the cuisine you find there is wide-ranging and the street food is fantastic. I love the eateries and bars along Boat Quay, Clark Quay and Mohamed Sultan Road.

OT: Is travelling for work ever a vacation?

Sonam Kapoor: Well, I love my job. And travelling on the job is an added bonus! But a holiday is a holiday. You have more time to discover and absorb a place.

OT: What’s your kind of holiday? Where?

Sonam Kapoor: It’s impossible to pick favourites. All kinds of holidays can be amazing. But I love the beaches of Bora Bora, the mountain of Mont Blanc, the spas at Six Senses Resorts & Spas in Thailand and Queenstown, New Zealand, for its many adventures.

OT: Where did you go last?

Sonam Kapoor: I went to Ananda in the Himalayas near Rishikesh. It was a fantastic trip!

OT: Is there a holiday you have been longing to take?

Sonam Kapoor: I’m dying to go to Paris with a loved one. It is the most romantic city… As far as clichés go, there is a reason they are there!

OT: What do you usually bring back from your vacations or work trips?

Sonam Kapoor: What do you usually bring back from your holidays? Lots of souvenirs. Cashmere from Scotland, woollens, honey and olive products from New Zealand, furniture from Thailand… It’s a long list.

OT: Are you a foodie? What cuisines do you like?

Sonam Kapoor: I’m a total foodie and my favourite cuisines are Thai and Japanese. But food all over the world is fantastic, it depends where you eat.

OT: What in Mumbai, your hometown, deserves to be seen? Any city secrets?

Sonam Kapoor: People must visit the city for its culture and its zest for life. There isn’t one thing that I can point out or recommend. You need to feel it, experience it.

OT: Your worst trip?

Sonam Kapoor: I’ve never had a bad trip. But the worst was when I discovered I had typhoid and I was in my favourite city in the world, New York. I had no energy to enjoy it.

OT: What books do you carry on the move? What are you reading right now?

Sonam Kapoor: I love reading paperbacks when I’m travelling. I’m reading Room by Emma Donoghue.

OT: What are the three things you always pack?

Sonam Kapoor: My camera, walking shoes and a shawl.