Kalki Koechlin: Deepika Padukone is extremely real despite the stardom

Your monologue Truths Of Womanhood seems to have struck the right chord with many. What was the reason for that?
It's because every other person in India is a woman and as women, we tend to get affected when there's violence against us since we are so vulnerable. The idea of a monologue was like I was talking to an individual.

You've said you envy Priyanka Chopra? Why is that?
She's a fantastic actress and very beautiful. She started as a commercial actress and then moved to off-beat roles. I'm jealous she got to work with my favourite director Vishal Bhardwaj. Now she's opening up to an international market and is constantly reinventing herself.


How about your theatre work?
I am working on two plays " Colour Blind, based on Tagore's life where I play an Argentine French woman with whom he had an affair in his later years. It's directed by Manav Kaul. The other is Hamlet The Clown Prince, director by Rajat Kapoor.

How about your upcoming film Jia Aur Jia?
It is a chick flick about two girls who go on a road trip to Sweden, but they don't get along. Richa Chadha plays the other girl. It's good to have women-oriented films that aren't necessarily deep and dark. Girls wanna have fun too, you see.

What would you change about the Hindi film industry?
We don't appreciate writers enough. And writers don't get paid enough.

Do you prefer indie or commercial cinema?
When I'm working on a film, I don't see it as commercial or indie. They are the same. Whether it's a dark or a comical world, you still got to be true to it.

How do people react when they hear you speak fluent Tamil and Hindi?
It's funny, especially in the South. When I enter a shop, people will discuss me, 'hey she's hot' or something like that and before I leave the shop I say something in Tamil and their jaws drop.

Are you a foodie?
I travel for food. I go to places that locals frequent. I love Bengali and Japanese food. Every February, I go to Kashmir for skiing where I gorge on Kashmiri cuisine.

Which Bollywood actress do you get along with the most?
Deepika Padukone because we've spent so much time during Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. She's extremely real despite the stardom. She's very motherly. I used to call her mother earth because she'd get food on the sets.

How has fame changed you?
With fame, I have had to protect myself a lot because you become susceptible to everyone's opinions. I am a very open person and it's difficult for me to be reserved but you have to do that when you become famous because they want to see your vulnerable side.

Any message for your Follo'ers?
Thank you for following. You guys are great and I like your choice and taste. I hope to keep surprising you.