Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
Diversity is strength. Our cinema and our art forms need to diversify so that it tells all stories, all perspectives.
If I am going to be phased out by whatever powers, then I want people to know that it is not because I am bad at my work.
I don't feel genres have helped me as an actor. Movies can be of any genre. But if you give me slapstick, I may not do it.
Survival is not just a physical thing. It's a constant mental affair. So, I kind of really draw a lot of power from that word.
The writer and the director are ultimately responsible for what is portrayed and glorified in a film. Then comes the producer.
Working with any senior actor is a learning experience, so getting to work with a thespian like Kamal Hassan was a memorable one.
There is such insecurity in loving that we see all the pros and cons and then decide how much we want to invest in relationships.
We should release films without revealing the director's name, as his or her gender would not be a barometer to watch those films.
My talent is universal, and acting is a craft that can be used anywhere, unless ethnicity comes into play, and then, looks matter.
I have worked with big actors, but honestly, I don't judge the viability of a project on the basis of the star value attached to it.
In the 11 years I've worked in films, I've realised that no one is indispensable, and that has actually been very comforting to know.
Women need to tell their stories from their experiences, and that may not mean that it would be all stories with women as protagonists.
No matter how big or new they are, I always look for the intention of the filmmaker first. Their intention has to be in the right place.
From my personal experience, I've put on and lost weight according to each character's requirement, which has taken a toll on my health.
I have worked in films where we just put on the make-up and go in for a shoot without any discussions and even a talk with the director.
We need women in cinema to know first that they have a safe space to open up about their struggles without being judged and marginalised.
Cinema is very important to me. I derive a lot of strength from this art form, and I believe that it is very impactful socio-politically.
Everybody has a priority. Mine is simple and clean acting, and my work, irrespective of the industry I am in, will not cater to anything else.
How sad is that life when a man thinks that his manliness comes with asking sexual favours from a woman. That's the saddest way of being a man.
I remember I was in my ninth grade, and I was smitten by Sushmita Sen, the way she carried herself, her interviews, and, of course, her movies.
I play Sophie in 'Koode': a very strong and soft woman who has been through many atrocities yet holds herself together through conviction in herself.
Awards are like a pat of appreciation from the jury and viewers. It is almost like them saying, 'So, you have done well; we expect you to carry on doing good work.'
I would want the audience to simply see the character I portray in each movie in its true essence because I feel acting is all about truthfully portraying the character.
I don't know what I want, but I do know that I don't want the usual stuff, the cliched stuff is just too mind-numbing. They sell, I know, but it makes me sad to know that.
I know how difficult it is to learn languages, since I am working in three regional industries in South India, and unless the director wants my voice to be dubbed, I do my own dubbing.
I'm not saying I'm perfect. But I'm someone who analyses and reflects on what I do, whether it's in keeping with the ethics that I talk about in public. That's how I've been all my life.
I believe that women have the right to wear any attire that suits their comfort. And above all, every individual has the right to wear an attire of their choice, and no one can deny that.
I will keep repeating it until people get it - misogyny and violence and everything that's bad in our life and society should be reflected in our films. It's the glorification that is wrong.
I have been shocked at some senior actors who made lewd comments on my body. They think it is normal, and in fact, I thought it was normal. But, much later, I failed to see how that is a normal thing.
Bollywood is there; the film industry is thriving, and it's huge, and it's everywhere. Anytime I travel abroad and I say I'm an actor from India, they're like, 'Oh, Bollywood!' And I say, 'Umm, not yet!'
We need storytelling from all angles. We need men, women, and trans people participating in all aspects of filmmaking; this is the only way we can depolarise the age-old standard of singular perspective.
If you're talking about industry, I've never restricted myself to Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, or Kannada. Whichever the language is, from Swahili to Marathi or Bhojpuri to Bengali, I would be happy to do it.
The only kind of influence I want to be on anyone is by being, constantly and consistently, someone who probes herself at every juncture, improves the way in which she functions as a citizen, and questions the status quo.
If I have to change for a character, I need really logical reasons to look a certain way. Otherwise, I have finally cracked the code in being comfortable in my own skin regardless of what's fed to you of how you must look.
The lack of exposure to right perspective has caused me to be in abusive relationships. When a boy stubbed cigarette on my leg, I thought it was out of love. You know why? Because our films taught us slapping in the face was a way of expressing love.
For me, talking about the casting couch in the Malayalam film industry was like calling the sky blue. There is nothing new about calling a spade a spade. My intention was not to create an effect; I just wanted to pluck a few weeds in the system and throw them out.
I think cyberbullying someone who states their opinion, especially a woman, is sadly a norm these days, and it happens daily to not just stars/actors. We have to consistently condemn and shun it so that it never gets the power it doesn't deserve to have over the society.