Actress

I was offered my first film right after my 10th board exams. Back then, I didn't even know they made films in the South. Films, I thought, were either in Hindi or English.

Sometimes, films that you do with a lot of care and look good at the time of signing may not work out for some reason or other.

No matter what kind of film one makes, it boils down to whether it's good or not.

I cannot do more than two films at a time. I like to have a life besides films. That is very important to me.

The world is small, and the film industry is even smaller. So, if someone does something wrong, you really can't hide it, and if it's good work, it also can't remain hidden.

My personal dressing is inspired by my mood and mindset. I can jump from a girl-next-door to runway queen. I'm a T-shirt-and-jeans kind of a woman. But I also enjoy the red carpet look.

People love talking about how much an actor makes. A lot of headline space is dedicated to this.

I feel that to a great extent, the industry is fixated with fair skin, and that needs to change.

I don't wear clothes that I am not comfortable with - clothes will not get you popularity.

Thanks to a film like 'Baahubali' in my career, directors have the faith in me that I can play all kinds of characters, and I also have faith in me now that I can also do all kinds of roles, and I am doing that.

Even if one is not a great actor, just being in front of the camera requires a lot of effort.

Pay disparity is not just in our country but elsewhere in the world, too. However, I do believe that there will come a time when it will change.

Being appreciated for playing a female warrior seems too good to be true. I enjoy playing such empowered roles, and on a related note, that's why I agreed to become the brand ambassador for the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign.

I'm not a hit machine.

I think 'Happy Days' was huge and an unexpected high point of my career. I was a newcomer at that time, and I was fortunate to get such a role in the film. 'Paiyya' was another highpoint, as it opened up Kollywood for me.

Over the years, I have realised that it takes a great team for a film to succeed.

It's nice to be part of a film that will be watched by a large audience.

I don't think I need to wear a bikini to attract the audience. I will not do that.

I have enough experience, and I can do my Telugu dubbing perfectly without any help.

While I am a teetotaller in real life, I would hate to pass any judgments on what actresses should do or not do.