In 2014, actress Kalki Koechlin had presented an intense monologue on the occasion of International Women's Day on March 8 in Delhi, the video of which instantly went viral. The strongly worded monologue, which talks about the effects of patriarchy in our society, was presented by the actress in Jaipur on Wednesday.
Talking about gender disparity in the film industry, Kalki said, "Bollywood is as patriarchal as our society. I once met a producer who asked me about my age and I said, 30. To this, he replied, 'Don't worry, you still have five years left.' Another producer showed me the exact spot on my face where I needed to get a botox." She added, "There's a lot of pressure on women in Bollywood. Objectification of women is very predominant, but I am happy that gradually things are changing. 'Piku' and 'Queen', both women-oriented films, brought a fresh change in Bollywood." On pay disparity in Bollywood, Kalki's response was, "You only get paid more than a man if you are Priyanka Chopra."
Theatre, Kalki feels, is a great place for an actor to get terrified because you don't know how the audience will react. "Theatre is like an actor's gym. You hit the gym to build your muscles, and similarly, I go to the theatre to build my acting muscles." When someone from the audience asked why she hated men so much, Kalki replied, "I don't hate men. Ours is a patriarchal society. Had it been a matriarchal society, I would have supported men. I would have been a 'meninist'. For me, it's all about equality." When someone asked her why she had started talking about women empowerment only after her divorce, Kalki answered, "If you do some research on my work, you'll know that I have always supported women, and not only after my divorce."
Kalki moved out of her house for studies when she was 18. "I knew I wanted to act, but I viewed success in a different way. Success for me is being the best version of myself. Staying away from home helped me discover myself, which helped me a lot in my career. Leaving home teaches you a lot. You become independent," she said, adding, "I have faced a huge identity crisis and still face it. I was born in Puducherry to French parents, who came to India from Angers, France. I then settled in Tamil Nadu, went abroad, came to Bengaluru and then shifted to Mumbai. But I always say, my skin is white but my heart is brown."
Having performed in Jaipur earlier, Kalki said, "I enjoy coming to Jaipur. I have performed here twice at a theatre festival. I have childhood memories of this city. I remember I was 7 or 8 years old when I had come here with my parents. I also love the Rajasthani food and make sure that I try it whenever I am here. I am one of those irritating people who eats a lot and doesn't put on
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indiatimes
May 03, 2016
shazia
