I think it is very difficult for a man to accept a celebrity as his wife. One has to be extremely emancipated to do it. No Indian male is.
Roopa Ganguly
I am not a politician-type politician and I want to remain that.
People always told me that nothing would match my face, my structure other than roles of sophisticated, educated women. I felt it was an insult to me.
Well, I help some underprivileged children stay and study in Rajpur, near Narendrapur.
I wanted to play a domestic help all my life... Because I wanted to break my image.
I have stayed in homes that didn't have basic infrastructure such as proper washrooms.
I would say that every political party must remain in some form in a state or the Centre for the sake of democracy.
Waiting is always a part of people involved in the film industry. Be it on the floor, in the make-up room or at home. All my life I have waited for a good role.
I wanted to be an architect, fate took me to films. Now that I am into politics, I want to give my best here.
I never accepted any invitation which came only in my name. I never took any calls before 9am and after 10pm. As soon as my shoot would wrap up, I used to head home without even removing my make-up. I did everything that a girl should to keep her man happy.
My marriage was always my first priority. I had left my career to go and settle with Dhrubo in Kolkata. I have never behaved like a celebrity at home.
Pray for me, I need happiness in life. It was a very tough decision to leave my husband and son and come away to Mumbai and start all over again.
I still feel the affection of the fans that I get because of my acting career.
I want to build the India that we all want.
I have always worked with utmost care. I have given my 25 years. I seemed I have more to offer than just acting. So, there is no regret.
I have always been brazen. That's why I can't tolerate corruption.
Even before I became an artiste, when I barely had the means to support anyone financially, I took care of several destitute women, giving them shelter, food and clothing.
I have seen poverty first hand. My parents were not well-off. They were in Ban'gladesh and I - just a child then - was sent off to live in my uncle's house in Calcutta.
I have struggled in life and this has made me sensitive towards the needs of others. Politics gives you the opportunity to really do something.
I am aware that there was a general opinion among people that I was close to Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, among other Left leaders. Yes, I was close to them because I had to work closely with the state government.
I started a festival of short films produced for television, and as the secretary of the organisation that ran it I used to work very closely with the state government.
Ours was a family of engineers with no political affiliation; art and culture were the only things that we discussed at home.
I had moved to Mumbai in 2006 and lived there for around six years while West Bengal was going through a political upheaval. After I returned to Kolkata in February 2012, and started to work here, I realized how things had changed here.
I don't think of the future too much. I am not very practical, I am a very emotional woman. My heart rules my life, not the mind. I don't crave anything apart from buying a really good car. I am not greedy for anything in life.
You know, sometimes there's a difference between what is actually the truth and what you perceive to be the truth through your social conditioning.
I believe that the people who are close to me know who I am and that's the most important thing for me.
Winning or losing elections is not important. What is important is that I have taken the plunge.
Election results and winning an election is not all about winning the next election or planning to win the next election.
Mamata Banerjee was the reason for me joining politics.
I am getting support of people from all class and creed. Some of them told me they will vote for me, if not for the party.
