I think it's what's inside that makes you beautiful on the outside.

There were a lot of pretty women in cinema around Audrey Hepburn's time, but she stood out because she had a very interesting personality - which went beyond her looks. She did so much for women, for animal rights, for children's education - it's always the personality that comes through and makes one seem beautiful.

Of course, people have tried to stereotype me... But it's very short-lived if you realise that you're only as new as your newest film... You have to look beyond the period of initial reactions and recognise that there's a bigger body of work and an effort to do something bigger.

It's only that we live in a patriarchal society, and therefore, the word 'feminism' has to be used as a counter to patriarchy. But feminism is about being equal. The word used should be 'equalist,' as it is about all humans being equal and respecting each other for that.

Once I got married, I was only invited to the things that Anurag was invited to. People would say, 'Call Anurag's wife.' They wouldn't say, 'call Kalki' or 'call Kalki's husband.'

In the beginning, I was very stubborn and always wanted to be just an actor. I was told by a lot of people to try my hand at writing or directing, but I always thought, 'I am an actor, and this is what I want to do.'

I improvise a lot and try something new every couple of years.

The country has double standards - it's obsessed with fair skin on one hand, but if the woman is white, she is expected to be loose-moraled.

We don't expect someone in a bikini to stand up for women's rights; we only expect a girl in an 'NGO outfit' to speak about it. It's as much as the right of the girl in the bikini to talk about it as a woman in a kurta. We need to embrace that multiplicity.

I like social media, as it cuts out the middleman. You can be yourself, you can't be misquoted, and it's also useful for me to get information about my theatre shows across to people.

I don't comment on everything; I don't comment on things I don't know enough about. I feel people should talk about something only if they feel strongly about them.

I keep saying this: If you're not a feminist, you're a bad person.

Theatre is more metaphorical where you have to be louder and larger than life, whereas film is more subtle and more real.

I love outdoor places in the evenings; I don't like box-like clubs.

People often think that I am funny and crazy, but I think they have also come to love me for it.

In Bollywood, it's always feast or famine for an actress. That's the way of the game.

If you are a musician, you practise your instrument every day, but actors can't be on a set every day. Theatre is a way for me to keep practising my art form.

Vulnerability is important in life, I feel. That's what allows you to experience intense emotions, whether it's joy or pain or sadness.

My mum was quite strict, so I was in a very strict household.

When I have to be in public, I can't be in a bad mood.

I feel, at times, women in India go beyond their comfort zone just to clad the trend, and that automatically becomes a faux pas. If you are not comfortable with something, please don't wear it.

It's only over time that you get to exploring or adding nuances to the character. Like my part in 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' - I am so not the person who wears high heels and totters about like a poodle.

When your private life has been dragged into public space, you tend to attain a zen-like composure.

At home, my parents were quite old, so the surrounding was of elder people. There was no noise. Reading books was encouraged; TV was not encouraged, so I was the geeky, studious type of girl.