I love song and dance films in Bollywood.
— Tabu
I am glad that people have become more accepting of female characters.
How can I stop acting? I don't think there is a full stop. Maybe the only time I will stop will be when acting stops fascinating me. I will have to find something that fascinates me more.
I do whatever appeals to me. I have always made my own choices.
There are so many wonderful films being made everywhere, including in Hollywood.
I can't be objective about my work, because I am so involved that I can't see it as a product to be judged. I can't see it as an outsider.
One never can plan. I just did my work and enjoyed shooting for all my films.
I did 'Hawa' to understand what ghosts and the supernatural are all about. I don't believe in them and wondered how I could essay a part in a project I don't necessarily understand.
I have not done any film where my role didn't make sense.
I love to travel. I want to do India by road, the entire length and breadth.
I was really excited when films like 'Kaala Paani,' 'Maachis,' 'Chandni Bar' and others came my way. The sheer fact that I would get to portray various emotions was thrilling.
The film industry is actually a tough place to survive.
I am proud of my height.
Working in 'The Namesake' was a personally enriching experience.
Films like 'Shaan,' 'Sholay,' 'Muqaddar Ka Sikander' and so many others... they've been a part of my growing up years.
As a viewer, I will go and watch only commercial films.
I think every actor worth his or her salt wants to do good, meaningful cinema.
People should be good, established people; the filmmaking and acting experience should be heartening. So I chose films where I would get a good experience, not just great roles.
Why was it important for women to be only nice? Why can't she have dark layers? So when they came to me - films like 'Maqbool' and 'Astitva' - they just grabbed me, and I wanted to be part of them.
If I feel the role is not going to demand anything out of me, I don't do it. Either it has to be a terrific role, or the director has to be someone I am dying to work with. Or the costar has to be someone I really look up to.
All over the world, actors and actresses are chosen for their performing skills. Not how they look or what they wear. It is all about how they act, how they emote.
I am never embarrassed to relax. I am not part of any rat race. I am very happy to be by myself.
I never saw my career as a journey with a beginning, middle, and end, with high points and low points. It is just a whole, big mass of experience, and I take each experience as it comes. I don't strategise.
Working in 'Mian Maqbool' was a refreshing experience.
The first film I worked in was Dev Anand's 'Hum Naujawan.'Then I went back to school and college.
I have worked with good directors, and I consider myself very lucky because I think that it is very important.
When I was younger, 15 years or 20 years seemed like a really long time. But, as you journey though life, you don't realise where the years disappear.
I laugh, cry, go for movies, eat popcorn. All these things are pretty relaxing for me.
I don't care if the heroes are short. That's their problem.
I've acted with shorter heroes, and no one has objected.
I had read Jhumpa Lahiri's 'Namesake' and thought it would make a fabulous film, as I could identify with the central character. When Mira Nair announced the film, I wanted to do the role. When it fell into my lap, I was over the moon.
I do a film because I would love to be a part of it, but I also think from the audience's perspective. Our profession survives because of our audience.
I am keen on doing the regular Hindi film, but I want strong, meaningful roles in my repertoire, which I get down South. I can devote equal time and attention to both, so I don't see the clash.
Whether the film is a Hindi film or in a South Indian language, I don't think it matters.
I came from Hyderabad and didn't know the difference between commercial and parallel cinema.
Promotions create awareness, but if there is no merit to the film, what will promotions do anyway?
I never thought I was doing any great work. I never thought I would last. In the beginning, I was terrible. I never used to speak to people. I used to start crying. I was extra sensitive. I would run away home and feel miserable. I didn't know how to behave then. I was touchy. People interpreted it as arrogance.
There is nothing wrong with commercial cinema if it is made well. In fact, if you ask me, the Hindi film industry has also produced some truly outstanding works over the years.
I avoid seeing my films as far as possible because if I don't like anything, I can't change it or do it again.
Every film has been a personal milestone for me.
'Meenaxi' was a lesson in liberation. It taught me to be a free spirit and understand the pleasure of my work by being different people, just like Meenaxi is.
I try not to get typecast in any role, any image. I feel I can do justice to every kind of role, so why not make the best of it? See, commercial films alone can get you only so far. If you want to last as an actress, then you have to put in that extra bit of investment by doing off-beat films, too.
I write about different things. Anything that has affected me. Anything that I have liked. Anything that I feel strongly about. Any experience.
I want to complete 100 films.
I like to spend time with family and friends and share my experiences with them.
My fans tell me my height is my biggest asset.
Working with Kal Penn in 'Namesake' was funny at times. What we did was so real. We had fun on and off the sets, too.
'Cheeni Kum' was one of the nicest experiences.
I grew up in the seventies, and films for us were larger-than-life, masala entertainers.
Since I am originally from Hyderabad, I speak Telugu fluently.
