I want to do different things. I don't want to be stuck in the 'sweet girl' box. I don't want to be stuck in the 'Oh, she is so glamorous' box.
Aditi Rao Hydari
I read a lot, but in comparison to my family, it's nothing. I keep telling them, 'I'm the illiterate of the family.' My grandfather used to read five books at a time.
My mother is a Chitrapur Saraswat from Mangalore and half-Telugu, and my father is a Bohri Muslim. My mother's father, J Rameshwar Rao, was the Raja of Wanaparthy, a principality of Hyderabad. He was influenced by the socialist movement and became the first Raja to give up his title.
Good cinema has no regional or linguistic boundaries.
I am not a trained singer, but when I was offered to sing for 'LPNY,' I took it up as a challenge.
Akshay Kumar is always on time. He is always disciplined and hard working but also always entertaining, fun behind the camera and also in front of it.
I can be sweet-looking innocent girl, but I may have a sensual side to me, which I would love to explore.
When you'e working with great actors, your performance also becomes better because you have such great energy in front of you.
The industry is a difficult place to be in. It is not at all rosy. There are judgements being made. I don't like bad publicity, but that is part and parcel of it. However, I am grateful for whatever I have got from the industry.
Labels are limiting, and I don't like them.
I think the saying that diamonds are a girl's best friend can't be truer. Which girl doesn't love diamonds?
For me, Hyderabad was all about summer holidays, rasam rice, spicy pickles, and more.
'Happy girls are the prettiest,' and to be in the camera frame makes me happy. I just want myself to keep working. I can be in front of the camera for 48 hours continuously without any breaks.
I didn't have any godfather in the industry and had to prove myself with each film.
I'm a very instinctive person. If my heart feels I should do something, I go for it.
I think boldness is not the only thing in my personality, but there is lot more.
I am very petite and feel that structured clothes look very flattering on me. That's why I always pick up clothes which are neat, pretty, have lace or made of soft fabrics.
I feel that I don't know anything, I don't know how to act, but I can surrender myself to a director I respect and love. I feel very lucky to be a part of their visions.
I was born to an illustrious family in Hyderabad.
I don't really understand why we are paid less than the male actors, because we put equal efforts, and recent past has shown that actresses can deliver a hit film. We deserve better pay, equal to what actors get.
Though all actors do not make good directors, Dhanush is really one of the finest. He knows exactly how to direct an actor to extract the performance the way he wants it. Perhaps that is happening because he is a performer himself.
I must say that Dhanush wears the hat of director and actor pretty seamlessly.
My great grandfather from my father's side, Sir Akbar Hydari, was the prime minister of the Nizam of Hyderabad. He was instrumental in setting up the Osmania university. His wife set up the Hydari club for women so that they could play tennis, and she also set up the first girls' school in Hyderabad.
My family was extremely progressive. My parents had a love marriage, but they separated when I was two years old. I moved to Delhi with my mom, who got involved with the family business.
I'm really pleased with the way my career is shaping up. How many actresses get a chance to work with legends like Mani Ratnam and Sanjay Leela Bhansali?
I consider myself as a director's actor, so I'm open to work with filmmakers from across the country and even abroad.
No artiste wants to be boxed. We thrive on challenging roles, and they can come from anywhere. I consider myself blessed to be recognised as a pan-Indian actor. Yes, it means more hard work, prepping more for the roles, but I'm all for it.
My formative years were not spent in Hyderabad, so I can only understand Telugu, but I love the culture.
I've followed Mysskin sir's work, and I really like his style of filmmaking.
It's always exciting to work with people you admire.
Dhanush is an insanely incredible actor. To be directed by him has been nothing short of a learning experience.
The whole point of creativity is that it has no boundaries of language, region, and age.
I saw Mani sir's 'Bombay,' and I wanted to be a Mani sir heroine.
People who can actually challenge me and push me and almost push me to breaking point and extract a performance out of me, I really enjoy that.
What you are is what you are, and I don't think you should ever fight it. But as an actor, I feel lucky to play different parts.
I only can talk about myself and my experience. Honestly, working on your own terms is difficult for a newcomer but not impossible. I am an example of that.
In film business or any business, for that matter, there are people with different mindsets. Some would be compassionate and respectful, some might just be the womaniser, but how can we generalise that? That is wrong, I guess... That way, in a male-dominating society, shining is tough for women.
For someone, success is to be the highest paid actress. For some, it might be the number of awards, and for some, it is the number of films. Honestly, I feel privileged when a celebrated filmmaker offers me a role so that I can be a part of his vision. That is success for me.
In general, a film's delay is disheartening for actors, but it's harder on the director and the producer who have been on the project for longer than anyone else. While actors move on to other projects, the film's makers don't.
When you step inside a set and transform into a character, it's your first brush with that role. It doesn't matter who you have worked with. Every character will be a first in your life as an artiste.
I don't want the baggage of knowing things when I walk on to a set. I am more comfortable being an empty slate, surrendering before a director and writer's vision. I've realised that this is the best way for me to function.
If I believe that I have done it all, there's nothing more for me to learn and explore.
The experience of shooting a film is about the script, the captain of the ship who is the director, and the way they push their actors and teams to give their best. It's not about the language and the region.
I guess people feel that if you're working with good directors and are known in the Hindi film industry, then you won't work in South films. However, I believe that films have no boundaries of language, religion, or cast. If it's a good script and a good director, I can do a film in Spanish as well.
Everyone in Hyderabad is generous and loving.
While shooting for 'Kaatru Veliyidai,' I was living my childhood dream of working with my favourite director. It was surreal and thrilling at the same time.
It is very natural for a couple in love to be physically intimate.
Everyone associates Hyderabad with biryani, so when I say I was born here, the first thing people ask is - 'When will you make Hyderabadi khana for us?' Whenever I make biryani, my friends come over.
I don't like talking about my love for singing.
According to me, a film can talk for itself. Like, Aamir Khan does not promote his films on a large scale, but his films work on the box office.
