Even though I played national level badminton, I told my parents when I was in 10th that I was not interested in continuing. Being a model or actor fascinated me from a young age, and I even did a couple of ads when I was just eight years old.
There is a strong side to me, that is of a homemaker. I look forward to spending time at home in the evenings, cooking a meal, chatting with my parents and inviting friends over.
I still live as normal a life as anybody else. I have two homes to run. I have my staff to take care of. I work, pay bills and attend society meetings like everybody else.
I don't want to be typecast as a heroine who does a certain kind of cinema, which is why I experiment with the types of films that I do. But yes, I won't deny that romantic love stories or romantic comedies are what I enjoy doing the most, because as an audience those are the kind of films that I like watching.
Everybody doesn't get to do each and every film. I don't compete with others; I compete with myself. I have been an athlete, a sportsperson; so I know how to be competitive in a healthy way.
Relationships or not, I believe that people don't need to know about my life beyond a certain point.
I don't think I am a star; I consider myself like any other girl who is of my age. Others may be working in office and doing different jobs. Similarly I don't think I am doing something different... I am also working.
Every film teaches you something; every experience on every film set with every co-star teaches you something. You learn something new. I think the challenge is to keep working harder and doing better.
I try and work out as often as possible. Since I travel very often, it becomes very difficult to have a daily work out routine, but I practice yoga every day or try and play some sport. Also, I am very aware of what suits my body in terms of food and exercise.
I don't think you need any kind of backing here in the industry. I think what you achieve in your life is the result of your own talent and hard work.
While I believe that when you are in the glamour industry, you have to look your best, I also believe being skinny is not 'hot and happening.'
To me, the mind and body are one. I'm very transparent, in a way, and people can very easily make out what mood I'm in.
I guess I learnt to appreciate old Hindi-movie music from my dad and somewhere down the line picked up jazz as well.
Being a movie star isn't easy. It requires a lot of commitment and sacrifice. Your career goes through extreme ups and downs. You are judged all the time. Great things are written about you, but at the same time, not-so-good things are also said. At times, things are said about you that are completely untrue, and people mostly try to pull you down.
Yes, my life has changed in terms of the fame and the success, the number of eye balls on you all the time. I like to believe that it has not changed my ideology, the person that I am. I have people like Anna and my mom, my friends who tell me that.
India is home, and that's never going to change.
I don't look at it as Hollywood or Bollywood, but, of course, my roots are here, and at the end of the day, it's about your roots. You can't take India out of me.
I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think it's about following your instincts and doing a film for the right reason.
A script narration is like watching a film, and I react to it like an audience with my own instinct. After that, I look for what is my character, what will I bring to the table in that role, how challenging will it be.
No other aspect of filmmaking has tempted me to do a film other than the script and the story itself.
