Love yourself for who you are, and trust me, if you are happy from within, you are the most beautiful person, and your smile is your best asset.
Ileana D'Cruz
You are a human being and are allowed to be imperfect, and you are allowed to be flawed. There is a lot of beauty in your imperfections, in your uniqueness.
I had a different perception of what a relationship or love is like. I was all giddy-headed and fairytale about it in my head, but it's so different. There's a lot of restraint that you've got to have, compromising in certain situations - and you've got to have a lot of respect.
I don't want my personal life to become a part of public domain. It is something that is sacred and means a lot to me. I don't want it to become some frivolous gossip column.
I think marriage is beautiful, but I have mixed feelings about it.
I like being thrown out of my comfort zone.
I was always a very self-conscious person and was picked on for my body type. I used to feel low and sad all the time, but didn't know I was suffering from depression and Body Dysmorphic Disorder till I got help.
You can call me a Mumbai girl since I have spent the first ten years of my life here. Then I shifted to Goa, where I got my first modelling break.
I like my smile.
I was only 18 years old when I started acting.
I don't think I will ever understand Bollywood. And I'm happy about that because it is a big, crazy, world. It's too complicated and chaotic to understand.
I do use social media as a gateway into my personal life, but only to a certain extent. When I don't want to, I pull the blinds down.
I like that with social media, you can choose how much you want to reveal. If there is an issue that requires clarification, at least you can turn to social media. You know it's coming from the horse's mouth.
There are some actors that I know I won't do a film with no matter how good the film is.
At the end of the day, you are doing the film for the audience.
My mum is a rock star, and I idolise her. She was born in a conservative Muslim family, where the girls were not educated much, and she was required to wear a burkha. She felt repressed but dreamt of driving her own car, walking around in jeans and wearing sunglasses, and she did.
The elegance of a sari or the flirtiness of a lehenga is matchless.
I think what matters is whatever you do on screen should be good irrespective of the time you have on screen.
As far as clothes are concerned, for the day, wear something chic: a good pair of jeans, crop, and open hair with a bright lip colour. For an evening, a nice pair of high-waisted trousers and a nice blouse looks great.
My personal life is only my business and the business of the people who are close to me.
If you are visible in the whole film, but there is no depth in your role, then the role is not significant.
I know that when people ask me about my boyfriend, they're not disrespectful but just curious.
In the end, only a good actor stands out; if I am not a good actor, I won't stand out.
I love wearing very simple colours.
My father worked as a mechanical draftsman at Mazagaon Docks and is a Catholic. My mum was a Muslim, so my parents broke quite a few rules to get married.
I don't like being jealous.
There is a glimpse of me that I'd like to keep private. And I believe that is necessary for my kind of sanity. I'd not like the world to know everything about me.
I'm a beach bum, so I'm more comfortable in western wear.
When I have actors flirting with me in acting, in my head, I am thinking, 'If I flirt back, I could definitely land a film with this guy. If I consider going to his house for drinks, considering he has invited me, I could definitely get a film with him.' But I just don't want to do that.
Imperfections are a part of life, and one should learn to love who you are.
I'm happy I'm doing films at a slow pace rather than doing anything and everything.
When I first started out in Telugu cinema, I signed anything and everything that came my way. I was 18, was immature, and it felt like a good idea that 'Oh, they are paying me a good amount of money.' I was young, naive; I had zero ambition, and honestly, it wasn't my calling.
I enjoyed every experience that life offers.
I don't think I constantly have to be on a promotional spree or be seen in the newspapers every day or even be part of social parties and film gangs. I'm having my own set of journey, and I am happy with it because I don't want to be like everybody.
I loved playing Sweetie in 'Mubarakan.' It was chaotic and funny; it was sort of a magnum unfold in a chaotic way.
It makes it so much easier to work with people who you can implicitly trust.
For me, a very chilled out day would be me on my couch or cooking, sitting with one or two friends watching TV or films over a glass of wine.
I am glad that after 'Rustom,' I did 'Mubarakan' and then 'Baadshaho,' as it explores my range as an actor.
Films happened to me accidentally when I met Marc Robinson in a hotel in Goa, where my mum worked as a supervisor. I would often go there, and the manager there would see me and tell my mom that I should try being a model.
I do not like to be told what to do, but in the end, I take my own decisions.
The reason I did 'PPNH' was because I wanted to do something different, wacky, and mainstream after 'Barfi!'
I've got every possible thing I could want. And I wondered, 'Why am I so depressed?' I still don't know sometimes.
We rely on our partners, but if we're not stable within, we crumble in our relationships, too.
Eleven years of acting it has been for me, and I still sometimes think I am not cut out for this. I hate the people-pleasing that goes with it, and the stupid politics, but that is with every kind of work and job.
When people ask me to describe my journey in Hindi cinema post-'Barfi!' I actually don't know what to say.
I am being selfish here by saying this, but I believe 'Barfi!' helped me the most. It got me recognition and respect.
Acting is a career where you keep learning with every film you do.
I would say the most difficult part of film-making is dealing with people you are working with and trying to forget the drama that goes behind the scenes.
'Barfi!' was a beautiful film. I'm proud to be associated with it.
I am not from a film family. I don't know much, but I definitely knew that if I want to be a good enough actor, I should be able to do any sort of role.
