Sonam Kapoor is an actor, a fashion tastemaker, and, increasingly, an art collector. Born into Indian cinema royalty as the daughter of legendary actor and producer Anil Kapoor, her career took off in the 2010s thanks to critically acclaimed performances in several Bollywood films. Since then, she launched a fashion line with her sister and was a longtime brand ambassador for L’Oréal.
The aesthetic eye that drew her to film and fashion has also informed her growing art collection, one she said “began instinctively,” shaped by early exposure to South Asian modernists. She inherited her interest in art from the women in her family, she explained, noting that both her mother and aunt—Kavita Singh, a Mumbai-based interior designer and art curator, and former Miss India—also collect. While she has built her own collection around 20th-century greats like Amrita Sher-gil and Manjit Bawa, within the last five years she has added more contemporary works to her holdings, and is committed to championing women artists and creators working outside of traditional art-world centers.
Dividing her time between her homes in Mumbai and London, Kapoor said she hangs many artworks on picture rails, so she can easily rotate them as she acquires new pieces. As both institutional and market interest in South Asian art rises, she hopes to amplify artists’ voices from the region with her support. “Whether in film, music, or art, this cultural language is so vibrant and complex,” she said, adding that she is glad to see South Asian artists gaining recognition and sparking “new dialogues.”
Sonam Kapoor, right, speaks to Tamsin Hong, the curator of “Arpita Singh: Remembering” at the Serpentine in London. Photo: Rowben Lantion.
Kapoor was on the host committee for the Serpentine Summer Party in London in June, where she was spotted admiring Arpita Singh’s paintings at the octogenarian Indian artist’s first institutional solo show outside of her native country. We caught up with her shortly after to discuss her first—and latest—art purchases, as well as a family bidding war that led to one of her best buys to date.
How has your collecting philosophy changed over time?
At the beginning, I was pretty instinctive. I was drawn to what my mom, Sunita Kapoor, and my aunt, Kavita Singh spoke about—South Asian Masters—and what I found beautiful or emotionally resonant.
Now, I think more in terms of narrative. I’ve become more intentional with my collection. I gravitate toward supporting more female artists and those working outside of the major metropolitan art circuits. I feel it’s important to consciously do that, rather than collecting solely based on instinct or tradition.
Amrita Sher-Gil (circa 1930s). Photo: Dalip Singh. Reproduced from V. Sundaram, Amrita Sher-Gil: A Portrait in Letters & Writings, Vol. 2, Tulika Books, New Delhi, 2010, p. 626. Courtesy of Sotheby’s India.
There’s something about underrepresented artists—especially female artists and those living outside of the dominant art hubs—that feels more alive to me. Their work has a kind of vitality and urgency that I really respond to. I’m increasingly drawn to that kind of energy. I see it in the works of artists like Arpita Singh, Amrita Sher-Gil, Nilima Sheikh, Ayesha Sultana, and Rana Begum.
Where do you buy art most frequently and why?
I source artwork from a lot of South Asian galleries—like Jhaveri Contemporary, Chemould Prescott, Vadhera Art Gallery, and Nature Morte, as well as from auctions at Christie’s, Sotheby’s, Phillips, and Indian auction houses such as Saffronart, Pundole, and AstaGuru.
My aunt, Kavita Singh, is one of the most prolific collectors of South Asian art in the world. She and my mom have been collecting since the 1980s. Their advice is so important to me. I’m also mentored by Amrita Jhaveri, who founded Jhaveri Contemporary with her sister Priya. She is incredible. She talks me through the things I like and helps guide my decisions.
These women are strong, intentional collectors who know art so well. They mentor me, but I also have a lot of opinions of my own. They help balance and refine that, which is a good thing.
Can you remember your first piece of art that you purchased?
My first purchase was a work by Manjit Bawa. He’s a modern master, and I’m obsessed with his use of color. His subject matter was so deliberate, and it really spoke to me. I bought it in 2006.
Manjit Bawa’s Untitled (Shiva), 1995, set a new record for the Indian artist when it sold for $2.26 million at Sotheby’s London in 2023, according to the Artnet Price Database. Courtesy of Sotheby’s.
My most recent purchase is a piece by Jangarh Singh Shyam. He was a non-metropolitan artist credited with creating a new school of Indian art called Jangarh Kalam in the 1980s and I absolutely love his work—it’s sublime, beautiful, and so detailed. I also recently bought a watercolor by Arpita Singh.
What is your favorite artwork in your collection?
That’s really hard—I love every piece in my collection because I’m so deliberate and thoughtful about what I buy. But honestly, my favorite might be my Zarina Hashmi, an Indian American minimalist artist and printmaker. I adore her work. I love the simplicity and modernity in what she did—it really resonates with me.
There’s a personal story behind it. I was bidding in an auction, not knowing my aunt was bidding against me for it. She ended up winning it, and when I called her afterward and told her how much I wanted that Zarina, she said, “Oh, beta (my child), I won it!” Then she offered to let me have it. Of course, I paid her for it, but that generosity made the piece even more meaningful.
Which works or artists are you hoping to add to your collection?
I really love Jake Grewal, he’s an amazing artist who explores queerness and nature in his landscape paintings. I also admire the South Asian U.S.-based contemporary painter Fiza Khatri. What I appreciate in both of them is how their perspectives are both personal and political. I’m drawn to the way they handle material and form in their work. Those are the two artists I’m looking at next.
