I am not an activist. I am an actor.

A film is a mirror image of our society. If there's something wrong with the way we make films or the way women are stereotyped, then it means that it's happening in real life.

Women should get together and become the pillars of support for each other.

I do not get that many offers in commercial cinema, to be very honest.

Theatre is really an actor's playground.

It's great to come home always... coming home to good south Indian meals or Andhra food is always a pleasure.

I think beauty shows exteriorly what you are feeling inside; so if you are not in a great mood, it shows on your face a lot.

I do like to dress up, and I love to go for red carpet events and look my best, but I have to be comfortable, and I don't want to wear make-up when I am taking a flight.

Being a feminist means asking for equality. But people take it the other way at times. It is looked down upon is because it is seen as man-hating. But, feminism is a really crazy idea that suggests men and women are equal.

Women are not a doormat. We are equivalent to men. It is just that we have different bodies and different biological needs.

Yes, India is intolerant towards women, at least when it comes to their safety issues. When I was shooting in Jharkhand, I was constantly being followed by two soldiers to ensure that I was safe. Women are so unsafe in our country.

There's a lot of pressure on women to look in a certain way. It's not easy to live in a world that objectifies women.

You shouldn't feel awkward in your own body and constantly try to be an image for somebody else. You should to be comfortable in it.

I have so much advice for men. They need to know that their mother is not their wife... and their wife will never be their mother.

People like Priyanka Chopra and Kangana Ranaut are really paving the way for successful women.

I don't believe in becoming famous overnight.

I was born in Pondicherry. Both my parents are French. They met in Pondicherry in the '70s, got married, and stayed back in India.

In India, you can just show up at a friend's house, and they will feed you; you can borrow someone's clothes and touch each other. In London, they would say, 'Oh, let's meet for coffee at 4:15, and we will talk about, I don't know, this play that we saw.'

I cry at the drop of a hat.

Every role that one does - at least, that's what happens in my case - becomes a sort of therapy.

I don't have any limitations that I only want to do serious films. I am trying to break that image but not very consciously.

I find it very hard to dance. I have 2 left feet.

Even when you don't want, your clothes always speak for you. So fashion is definitely an important statement.

If you want to have a nice laugh, then 'My Friend Pinto' is a movie to watch.

Woody Allen's sense of humour has always attracted me, and I love the way he can make life so meaningful and yet show us what a farce it can be at the same time.

Theatre is something that keeps me very alert, and I am actively creating whether I am on stage or directing. In films, I feel I become more of an introvert, going deeper in the realism of a character.

I am probably spiritual in the sense that I do believe there is more to life than what we see.

I have never been ashamed of whatever I do.

I like to believe I perform better under pressure and at the last minute.

I like Kerala a lot. The beautiful beaches there, the backwaters - I have good memories of the place.

I am always open to any film from any place, given the role and the script is interesting.

I have always been good with kids, as I used to teach drama to kids.

There's a thing about opinions... They are formulated over time. They tend to change with time, and you are going to change your mind many times.

I'm from a small town where the pace of life is slow.

My mother had a saying: 'Kamala, you may be the first to do many things, but make sure you're not the last.'

The American dream belongs to all of us.

I was raised to be an independent woman, not the victim of anything.

What's important for my daughter to know is that... if you are fortunate to have opportunity, it is your duty to make sure other people have those opportunities as well.

Here's the thing: every office I've run for I was the first to win. First person of color. First woman. First woman of color. Every time.

If we do not lift up women and families, everyone will fall short.

The truth is that the vast majority of Americans are good, fair, and just, and they want their country to reflect those ideals.

I often advocate that we look at many sides of an issue, walk in someone else's shoes, and identify and reject false choices.

You have to see and smell and feel the circumstances of people to really understand them.

If you want to deal with an epidemic - crime or health - the smartest and most effective and cheapest way to deal with it is prevention first.

I'm opposed to any policy that would deny in our country any human being from access to public safety, public education, or public health, period.

My parents met when they were graduate students at UC Berkeley in the 1960s. They were both active in the civil-rights movement.

A family looks for ways to support and inspire one another.

I believe that a child going without an education is a crime.

I just think it's so important not to take yourself too seriously.

So many people trip in front of them because they're looking over there or up ahead.