Sobhita Dhulipala on travel essentials, complex female characters and more

Italian handbag and accessories brand Carpisa has officially entered the Indian market with the launch of its first store at Phoenix Marketcity in Bengaluru. Marking the occasion, actress Sobhita Dhulipala took to an intimate in-store runway, showcasing the brand’s signature collection of Italian-inspired handbags, accessories and travel luggage before a gathering of fashion enthusiasts. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, we caught up with her for a conversation on personal style, travel, the evolving women she hopes to portray on screen and the projects she’s most excited about next.

Over the years, Sobhita has carved a distinct space for herself both on and off screen. From acclaimed performances in projects such as Made in Heaven, The Night Manager and Ponniyin Selvan, to her fashion-forward appearances that regularly spark conversation — she has become synonymous with a style that balances understated elegance with individuality. At the launch, she spent time browsing through the collection and we wanted to know what immediately caught her eye.

“Bags are one of those things that, while they should be glamorous, should also be utilitarian. At least, that’s my personal view. I want to carry something that looks stylish and works with a variety of outfits, but at the same time, I want to know I can fit everything I need into it. I think there’s a mature sophistication to these products and I really like that. As for what I’d take home, I love the large tote bags. I can completely picture myself travelling with one and fitting my entire life into it,” the actress tells us.

While handbags may be central to her wardrobe, they’re not the only accessories currently catching her attention. She admits that her latest fashion fixation is something she hadn’t paid much attention to in the past. “I’ve recently become a watch person. Earlier, I wasn’t particularly interested in watches, but lately I’ve really started enjoying them. For me, it’s less about the technical side and more about the aesthetic. I look at them from a style and beauty perspective. I like watches that make a statement and I tend to gravitate towards slightly more old-school vintage ones,” she reveals.

Her affection for roomy tote bags also ties into another passion: travel. Anyone who follows Sobhita online knows she frequently shares glimpses of architectural marvels and quiet corners of India alongside her international travels. “I’ve always loved Indian architecture and landscapes. It’s wonderful to see people rediscovering India’s history, whether through stepwells or lesserknown heritage sites beyond the usual monuments. It’s like the more I travel abroad, the more I fall in love with my own homeland,” Sobhita shares.

The conversation soon shifts from style and travel to the work that has made the actress one of the most compelling performers of her generation. “I’m very interested in women who can hold contradictions within themselves and not collapse under that pressure. No person is entirely good or entirely bad. Human beings are far more complicated than that. When a character is written in a way that reflects those nuances and contradictions, that’s something I’d love to explore,” she elucidates.

That fascination with complexity appears to continue in her upcoming work. “I’m also very excited about my next film, Vettuvam, a Tamil scifi directed by Pa Ranjith. I genuinely believe it’s some of my best work and I’m looking forward to audiences seeing it,” she notes.

As the conversation winds down, we leave her with a more reflective question: if she hadn’t become the actor she is today, what path might she have taken instead? True to form, her answer is less about alternate careers and more about perspective. “One could say it’s a matter of destiny. We like to believe we’re making choices, but perhaps everything is already decided in some way,” she signs off.

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