By being part of films like 'Judwaa 2,' I can ensure that I garner more fans, who'd then want to watch me in other powerful films.

Doing films like 'Judwaa' helps me relax, and that should be my reason for doing it, not to compensate for doing films like 'Pink.'

Nepotism and outsiders are two sides of the same coin that is Bollywood. They both have to co-exist. Both have their share of struggles.

I am a self-proclaimed feminist in a lot of ways, but I am not going to say that I will take a pink flag and run to India Gate with that.

I'll always have to make sure things happen eventually and don't slip from my hands, from under my nose. I'll always have to be on my toes.

Post 'Pink,' I don't have any film which I can pick out from my filmography and say 'It would have been better if I hadn't done this film.'

I feel that I'm a perpetual struggler. I always keep struggling to get certain roles, and when I get them, I struggle to get certain types of films.

I used the same hand to pat my back and to pick me up when I get shattered after losing out on a film due to reasons except your credibility to that role.

It's very claustrophobic to live a life which is not really how you wanted to live. You are forcing yourself to be quiet and behave like someone you are not.

I will stand for equality, and that doesn't mean giving me reservation. I would like to fight for it; just give me a fair chance. That's what being a feminist is.

I have taken my friends' bikes for rides, but my parents never allowed me to get one for myself, as they think bikes are unsafe. Personally, though, I love bikes.

It is not a shocker to me that a film went out of my hands, not because I was not credible, but because I was not so-and-so's daughter or sister or dating so-and-so.

While I do my work with a sense of honesty, I tell myself, 'What is the worst that can happen? I fail, right?' So, will I stop living after that? No. I will try again.

As a child, I wanted to be an astronaut, then a fighter pilot, and then later, as I grew up, I was focused on scoring high marks so that I could do an MBA in marketing.

A prequel to 'Baby' was never on the cards, but when the movie was successful, we realized from the audience response to my character that they wanted to see more of me.

I am looking for projects that challenge me, make me uncomfortable, and also projects that are in the hands of the right team. Then it's up to me to take a leap of faith.

As a child, I liked to play different type of sport, and I grew up to be an ardent sports fan. I have been watching all sports tournament religiously, especially badminton.

It is funny now, but in the beginning of my career, some of the films failed at the box office, and filmmakers stopped casting me, saying I am bringing bad luck to their film.

No matter how beautiful actors are, it is not easy to look drop-dead gorgeous in every shot in a commercial film. To carry yourself as if you are the diva, it is not an easy job.

I don't believe in poking nose in other people's matters, but when it comes to matters related to me or something that affects me, I will not shy away for saying something I believe.

This industry is quick to stereotype. People had started talking about how I was primarily being part of women-centric movies. I didn't want to be labelled as part of a mahila morcha.

I am not much of a trained actor. I have to get my brain and heart to go deep inside the situation, and then, probably, I can start acting. It takes me a little while to get out of it.

Though my parents have seen me in all possible avatars, my extended family has been pretty excited since the time they've gotten to know that 'Manmarziyaan' is a story based in Amritsar.

I haven't faced harassment in terms of work, but I think every girl in India has gone through some or the other awkward moment in public where she was eve-teased or touched inappropriately.

The trolls don't realise that they are actually helping me become more popular, and in return, I am helping them grab a celebrity's attention. I think my trolls and I are very good friends.

Honestly, trolls don't affect me anymore. In fact, I want to use social media for the benefit of my genuine followers - I pick up one or two tweets and use my sense of humour to entertain them.

I knew that the only way to get noticed would be by doing something that was not expected of me. I was sure I wouldn't get noticed if I continued to play the heroine in films like 'Chashme Baddoor.'

Telugu cinema can really spoil you. They treat you like a queen. As soon as you get down from your van, they will all stand up, and they won't sit till you have passed by. I love that attention and miss that.

I truly consider sports stars as the real stars because they represent our country, which makes them really stand apart. I don't think I can be one of them, and I just find them extremely confident and self-made.

With every movie, I am trying in my own little way to do whatever I can to change the way female characters have been presented and how an actress that comes from a family outside the industry is making an impact.

I will do all genres. I will do intense roles, along with the kind of films that I have grown up watching, like 'Biwi No. 1' and 'Judwaa.' But I won't do films where, if you take me out of the script, nothing changes.

I can't suddenly say that because I am acting opposite Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, and Varun Dhawan... I should get the same salary as theirs. Because I won't get the audience to the theatres as much as they will.

I was told, 'You are not beautiful and glamorous enough,' 'Oh no, you're too serious an actor...' 'You're not good enough an actor,' 'You are not so and so's daughter.' I was even told, 'You are not a big, marketable name.'

I am an outsider. I was never offered the kind of roles where I could play the glamorous diva, because there are already so many of them doing it - and doing it well. So I had to bring to the table much more than just looking good.

I judge my film choices based on the director, and then I see how much the story has affected me when I read it or when I hear it in the narration. Then comes how important my role is in it, but primarily director, script, and then role.

I have never used a fairness cream in my life. I don't think being fair is in any way superior to any other colour. And when I started working, I found that being fair has actually backfired for me. I have lost a few films because I'm too fair.

Who said that looking good is not a task? There are so many girls with a well maintained body, but will they be able to walk the beachside in front of the camera wearing a swimsuit? Carrying your body in a certain manner to look sexy is also an art.

I want to be a star. It doesn't mean that I'll act any less. My performance will be at par, but I want to be a star. I want the audience to spend their hard-earned money on my tickets without doubting. And when that day comes, I'll believe I'm a star.

There are many projects that come an actor's way, and one cannot say yes to all of them. Reasons of saying no vary all the time, but for me, it has never been on the pretext of not wanting to work with 'a particular actor' ever! I would never do that.

People think that unless you become the de-glam girl, who has horrible things happening to her, you're not really acting; all it takes to cry for the camera is some glycerine. Not doing anything is what's difficult; I know a lot of actors who will agree with me.

I feel it's better we have an open mindset to see what exactly we are trying to say. In 'Mulk,' we have not criticised any community, and neither have we said any community is good or bad. We have just shown the true picture and left it to the audience to make the choice.

I never regret or sit back and think that I shouldn't have said something. There are a lot of people who tell me that you shouldn't say this or that or should keep quiet, and I really think that I can either be true to my conscience or can live a fake life by staying quiet.

Eve-teasing used to happen almost on a daily basis in Delhi. I used to travel in DTC buses while going to college for the longest time. I got my car when I was 19. So for two years before getting a car, I used to travel in DTC buses. And eve-teasing used to happen almost daily.

Over the years, we have been conditioned that certain communities need to be looked upon in a certain typical way. So I think we need to question the logic behind it. 'Mulk' is going to question that logic - and where did it start and why did it start and the need to change it immediately.

I am moving towards that zone where I don't want to be a replaceable name. This is my goal. I want to hear from the industry that, 'You are the only one who can do this. We will not go ahead with the project if you don't do this.' And I want to hear from the audience that it is worth watching a film that I have done.

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