The stage is my first love. It gives me immense self-satisfaction, a sort of power because a stage actor carries the audience along; it's a live performance; spontaneity is its soul.Collection: Power
My father, Haridutt Bhatt, was a teacher by profession.Collection: Teacher
Films make an actor immortal.
Television takes an actor to each and every home, but the life of a television actor is only as long as the soap runs.
As an actor, if you have done theatre, the magic of it never leaves you.
I willingly gave up many assignments in films, TV and endorsements, which were far more economically lucrative, for the sake of theatre as I am really passionate about it.
I teach theatre in Mumbai and at the National School of Drama, as I want to remain connected with it.
I played the role of Mitro in 'Mitro Marjaani' which was directed by Mr. B. M. Shah and it was really amazing because for the first time in Indian theatre, was a woman portraying someone who is bold about her physical needs and is proud of her body.
Theatre was and will always be my first love.
I played a lot of roles in my mother's life. I was her driver when she wanted to go to places, her cook when she was unwell, but one role that remained unchanged is that of a friend.
World Theatre Day is an important day for us, we get to applaud the efforts of renowned playwrights, actors, and directors who have put in toil and blood to create meaningful stories.
Today if any actor says that he has done theatre before, he is considered to be a good one, which is ridiculous.
Theatre especially in Hindi is not enough to help an artiste in earning a livelihood.
Earlier, even I used to think that I would be doing theatre all my life, but as I grew, I understood that it was not practically possible.
The taste of street food in north India can't be found in Mumbai.
I like shopping for ethnic wear.
I don't go to Delhi malls, because malls are the same everywhere.
In the 1990s, when I made my debut, an artiste would get easily stereotyped. So I only got the roles of didis, bhabhis, chachis and buas.
I want people to be aware, it's been proved dogs are not Covid carriers.
Today, television industry means pool of young talents, and if you are not active in it then there are chances that you will be overshadowed by them. It is like newspaper where old becomes stale.
Television and films came much later into my life.
When I entered in the industry, I was appreciated for my acting skills.
My diet has seasonal fruits along with ragi and joyari rotis. I am also trying to focus on a lot of organic stuff.
Pranayama and yoga are the most essential exercises and I make sure that I sleep sufficiently.
I can say that if anyone has worked to save the mountains, they are women.
I am proud to be a daughter of the mountains.
The day people stop watching sex comedies, makers will stop making them.
Above all, I am a theatre person, from the National School of Drama, I want to promote theatre.
In fact, a lot of saas-bahus of today share a distinctive bond of support and understanding. I do feel that's the way it should be.
Whenever the hero and heroines met, they couldn't go beyond a point. They would just hold hands and consummation or kissing would be two flowers meeting or a bumblebee hovering over a flower. In 'Kaagaz Ke Phool,' even though their love was strong, the couple never touched.
I cannot stand watching daily soaps that have a lot of rona-dhona and unrealistic drama in them.
I enjoy watching regional cinema; they have always been my favorite.
Theatre remains my first and last love and even when I am noot doing plays, I am associated with it in some way. For instance, I go to Mumbai University as a visiting faculty and talk about the medium.
Yaar, television has become a very exhausting medium for actors now. It's like you are racing against time in the race for TRPs, which can be very saturating.
I don't connect with shows where we have women looking ultra-glamorous all the time, including in the kitchen.
I hardly watch any Indian TV shows and prefer watching a good film or reading over it any day.
I have seen good times and bad times, struggle and success.
Banaras really pulls you. I had been to the city several years ago for a film shoot. Though I have very fleeting memories of that stay, I still remember that I had gone to Kashi Vishwanath temple and shopped for some Banarasi saris.
Earlier, we had shows like 'Hasratein' and 'Shanti,' which had great storylines and mature content. Now, with a hundred shows running five to seven days a week, the TV industry has become very torturous and taxing for the actors.
I don't act in sex comedies, and whoever acts in them, I don't think it's bad, because cinema, art and theatre are the mirrors of society.
You either get to play a vicious mother-in-law who hates the bahu, or makkhis and naagins. There is no creative satisfaction in TV.
You cannot force any woman to do anything against her will, using your power.
It is the women who get targeted because the society will point fingers at them.
I have no idea how I got COVID-19.
Sadly, a lot of our traditions are fading away and theatre can be a great tool to ensure that it doesn't happen.
A good play can teach so much about culture. One can also improvise a lot with the medium and use it to teach kids.
I believe that teaching is one of the most noble professions and it's no easy task to shape the minds of the next generation.
Thanks to my father, there's a teacher in me also.
Shah Rukh is an amazing person. I really adore him. He's such a thorough gentleman.
One day, I got a call from Aditya Chopra and he said, 'Ma'am, I am Aditya Chopra speaking, Yash Chopra ji's son. I am making a film and I have a role for you.' I was so simple at that time, I told him, 'Ya fine, I am shooting at Noor Mahal bungalow, you come and meet me there.'