My father runs a restaurant business in Delhi, so if I had chosen to sell kebabs, it would be far easier for me than for anybody else.
Huma Qureshi
It always seems like coming to my second home whenever I come to Lucknow.
I am blessed to have got a chance to work with directors like Anurag Kashyap, Vishal Bhardwaj, and Nikhil Advani at such an early age.
If I'm playing an Indian in a Hollywood film, I won't do it in any funny Indian accent.
I love experimenting with different kinds of workouts. It all depends on my mood and energy levels. Some days, it is a gruesome circuit; other days, it is weight training or Pilates.
It's not at all easy to make people laugh. Kudos to those who can do it so well.
One thing we need to learn from the West is how professional they are about their work. A 7:30 A.M. call time means just that. That's something we need to imbibe from them. And people in the West need to learn from us how we work with our stories.
As an actor, I don't have an agenda. I don't have to prove a point; I am not a bastion of a particular brand of cinema. I am doing what makes me happy.
Beauty has no set standard. It is honestly in diversity.
I make it a point to pick films that tell you a story in an engaging way. I can't compromise on the content. The script has to be substantial and impactful.
I am an actor, and not a clothes hanger. I am more than just my clothes.
Collaboration between different parts of the world will bring us closer. From a business point of view, it opens up new markets as well.
I'm still in awe of Madhuri. I've grown up watching her movies, and to see her in a film like 'Dedh Ishqiya,' which is quite unlike her previous work, was wonderful.
Madhuri is the quintessential heroine of all time.
There are a lot of people out there who are just bullies. They constantly keep telling you that you are too fat, too thin, your teeth are not fine, you can't speak English really well, and you are too short, etc.
If a woman comes out saying she has been abused or assaulted, we should not start finding flaws in her character or try to dig up her past for murky details.
As a member of the audience, when you see someone from your country working in an international project, your curiosity about that film increases manifold.
I'm here in this industry to work. I respect the work of others equally. There's no sense of insecurity, but definitely, when you see others doing well, you also want to give your best in whatever opportunities you have.
I think you don't have to be size zero to prove yourself... to connect with the audience.
Work needs to be exciting enough to take someone as lazy as me out of my home.
I don't want to be the glam doll; that doesn't appeal to me at all.
I just cannot do a boring film. It has to be interesting with a good character.
I just love watching 'Andaz Apna Apna.' Every single time, I end up laughing so much that my jaws start hurting.
My idea of being fit is feeling good about leading a healthy and disciplined lifestyle.
The girls have to be equal to boys.
In 'Badlapur,' my character's name is Jhumli. It's a special film for me because I got a chance to work with my favourite director, Sriram Raghavan. I'm a huge fan of him.
I grew as an actress, and I feel I gained a lot, whenever I have worked with any great director in the past.
I have always said that Twitter is my forum to talk to people about what's happening in my life.
Working with directors like Gurinder Chadha was a learning experience for me.
A lot of people have ridiculous misconceptions about diet and workout routines. It is not about exotic greens and workouts from the western world. It is about what works for you the best.
Whether my film becomes commercially successful or not, only God can tell, or the box-office numbers. So why worry about it and get distracted?
Anybody who says that favoritism doesn't exist in Bollywood would be lying.
I would like to say this for the record: that I am not trying to lose weight or gain weight. I am just trying to be the best version of myself, and that's really important.
I believe in equal pay for equal work. Gender, race, skin colour, or ethnicity should not be the parameters to hire someone or to decide how much they should be paid.
Oh yes, my best birthday gift was when my dad gifted me my first car in college. It was a Maruti Swift. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. It was so much fun, as I could completely show it off to my friends that I have my own car now and not my dad's car.
If you think that one should do a commercial picture because everyone is doing it and that one will become a big star after that, I think that if you don't have that grain in you, it will not happen.
Indian actors are afraid to go and work abroad because people are very professional over there. In India, we have become very lazy. Everything happens slowly, and as per God's will. A 9 A.M. call time means we start working at whatever time we wish.
Honestly, I got a lot of offers which were similar to 'Badlapur,' and I didn't want that. Unfortunately, we live in a world which is so myopic that they only want to offer you what you have already done.
When I am doing a role, I don't think that I am getting to wear a mini skirt or show my stomach. I am doing a role because I am an actor.
'Gangs Of Wasseypur' had two parts and 200 actors. I didn't think it would be that successful and go to international festivals. These things just happen. You should just do films that you like doing.
I started getting a lot of work once I came to Mumbai. I was working with some of the biggest ad filmmakers. But I had to give auditions.
As an actor, I would love to do an out and out comedy.
Not all are starting from the same line; however, the finishing line is certainly the same. We all have to show how much money our films make or how many awards we win or what critical acclaim and commercial success our films have.
I want to be inspired when I'm working, and for that, I can go wherever it takes me.
I can't compete with really big stars. I'm not a big star; I'm just an actor who came from Delhi to pursue her passion.
I'm only focusing on good work. I'm known to be a little choosy, and I'm proud of it.
I've been a huge fan of Kate Winslet, and have watched all her films. She is such a solid actor and I look up to her.
You must be happy in every moment - it might touch other people's hearts and make them smile.
I'm very happy with how I look. I never had any problem in getting work or male attention.
All this is expected from girls only - wear makeup and look beautiful. My guy friends don't always have to do their hair and makeup.
