Mallika Sherawat

I can only speak for myself, I have been a very honest person, and sometimes I have gotten into a lot of trouble because of that.

I don't pay attention to what other actors are doing, or what their PRs are doing.

I think they have a really weird perception of hotness in India for women. I don't understand it. Of course, it's better now but when I started my career, it was weird.

I don't want to do loud roles. I want to play some realistic characters.

I was the first Indian actor to do a film with Jackie Chan.

Digital space is revolutionalising Indian cinema.

Traditional Bollywood cinema is formulaic. You wouldn't see a role that Shefali Shah played in 'Delhi Crime' in a Bollywood movie.

I have auditioned to get work. I didn't ever land a film without going through that.

My story, where I come from and what I battled, was overlooked, and it was all about how many kissing scenes I had. It made me insecure because I thought I had so much more to offer. But there was only one aspect of mine being highlighted and I really suffered because of that.

I'm a very headstrong woman, I can't compromise.

I can list at least 20-30 movies that I've lost. But it didn't make me bitter.

I lost film projects because they thought I was opinionated. I would hear from heroes 'don't cast her she speaks a lot and has a lot of opinions.' They would prefer their girlfriends instead of me in projects.

Once I was shooting a song for a film. And the producer seemed to be a novice. So he was trying to figure out a way to portray 'Mallika is very hot.' So, he sent an idea through the choreographer - 'Can I fry an egg on your belly in the song?' It's true! The producer's actually asked me this.

I'm a very simple, boring middle-class girl with very simple basic needs.

I do not even want to spend five minutes of my time with somebody who will not help me grow and learn more.

I like to exercise. I love to gym, in fact, that's my addiction.

I always wanted to be an actress, since I can remember, always.

I was co-producer on 'Hiss.' But I enjoy acting more than production. With producing, a lot of tension and a lot of burden is there.

It is good for the industry because there is no censorship on OTT content. Having said that, along with boldness also comes so much responsibility.

I am who I am because of Bollywood and my Indian fans. Bollywood is the most important thing to me in my life and my career.