I would love to hone my skills and learn Indian classical music. It's a vast sea of melodies and ragas, and I enjoy it immensely.

I feel upset when someone writes something which isn't true about me. I cry, sulk, fight with everybody and the next day I'm fine!

As women growing up in India, I don't think there is anybody who has never been made uncomfortable physically or just by the looks.

On several occasions, I've felt like my career has wound up. I was sad and upset; my roles were snipped, and I wasn't treated fairly.

I have always believed that more stories of women in leadership roles need to be told and I am glad I could be a part of one such story.

I definitely am open to South Indian films. There is a lot of good work coming from these states and I would like to be a part in some of them.

I want to do good films. It is not that I have any problem doing commercial roles, with all the glitter. I am doing 'Cabaret.' It is very glamourous.

The only place I want to be recognised is the red carpet or an actor, where I am in my professional capacity. Otherwise I just want to be left alone.

Oye Lucky!' released in November 2008 and in mid 2010, I was signed for 'Gangs of Wasseypur.' For me, the gap wasn't so much - just a year-and-a-half.

In 2016, I worked on a film called 'Love Sonia,' which was based on human trafficking. While researching on it, I came to understand how privileged I am.

Girls should be made aware of the dark reality of human trafficking, right from a young age. High schools and colleges should provide this education, too.

There is no similarity between the character that I played in 'Fukrey' and 'Tamanchey.' The only thing that is similar is that both the girls are confident.

To be pursuing any profession isn't easy because it is still primarily a man's world. It affects how you get paid and your hours of work, among other things.

I love making miniatures, painting, writing, music and dance. These are the things I'm naturally good at. I'd like to think of myself as a renaissance woman.

Because Bollywood reflects society, we are all living in a society. We are not a special entity. So whatever prejudices society has for us, we carry into the films.

The narrative in 2020 must speak about gender equality which will only come from empowering the women who've been given the short end of the stick for far too long.

My work enables me to meet various artistes in the West, be it Rachel Weisz or Marion Cotillard. But the only time I was star struck was when I met SRK. I love his work.

The kind of films that I do... they don't really have the budget for the actress to wear designer clothes. I think that is because it's mostly very relatable, real-life roles.

Everybody is entitled to an opinion and we should be able to express it. This is what democracy is all about. If an issue is troubling your heart, you should be able to say it.

For all the good that Alok Nath had done, being perceived as a father figure, the fact that he was hitting on a girl, who was playing his daughter, made me almost want to throw up.

Owing to our Indian beliefs, not many believe in organ donation. But I think it's an amazing thing to pledge the donation of organs and is not something people should look down upon.

I got some advertisement work and I also did 12 to 15 workshops to enhance my acting skills because there is no alternative to talent; if you don't have talent, then you don't stand a chance.

When I was younger I would be taken for a ride alot, I would believe anybody at face value, I was quite a lallu actually everybody would fool me, exploit me for my work and talent and I would cry about it later.

I judge the importance of my character by seeing how much the movie will be affected if you take my role out. If it does affect the film, then my character is important and if it isn't then I wouldn't do the film.

The notion people have about me is that I am always angry and irritated. Also, I report late to work and I am not serious about my job. But if all these things were true about me, people wouldn't be working with me.

I think your first relationship that you need to master is with yourself, your body, your mind, with your heart when you understand what triggers you have, what makes you upset what causes you to sort of take chances.

I think the fact that I have a solid head on my shoulders and a brain inside that head gives me an edge over my competitors. It helps when I am giving interviews, charting out strategy for my career and choosing scripts.

If you are turning 40, just be graceful, don't get into teenager outfits, put two hair bands and go 'aww.' Don't do that! Don't be stupid. I don't want to live that life. It is so fake, so manufactured. I am not interested.

I am not a star kid, my parents are from Delhi, my dad manages a business, my mother is a professor, I have no filmi background, so if I don't have skills, I don't stand a chance in this industry full of star kids and people with influence.

My grandmother passed away before I could get to know her. She had an interest in films and writing. She wrote two novels under a pen name and encouraged women around her to pursue their dreams. So my family decided to start a school in her memory.

I just love to dance and 'Cabaret' seemed like an opportunity where I could explore that. I wanted to take a chance and see if people will accept me in this kind of role, if what is expected of other women is expected of me. Or maybe it's for shock value.

I hate it when people look at marriage, especially when it comes to girls as 'settling down.' First of all 'settle' sounds like a compromise and 'down' makes it worse. It reminds me of teachers who ask their students to 'settle down' once they enter the classroom.

When I came to the industry, one PR person told me, 'Send a text message to this actor. Go on a date with him.' And I said, 'But he is married!' Then this person said, 'Why didn't you send a message to this cricketer? It would have been good for your career, for your PR and public image.'

There is an amazing feminist writer called Lindy West; she wrote a very nice piece for The New York Times. She wrote about Woody Allen, saying if we can't go after your work or your career, we will go after your legacy. You will never be remembered the same way. I think a lot of women will have to take solace in that.

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