Soni Razdan

I didn't want to be a sex symbol. That was perhaps my mistake, but you can't really change who you are.

I do believe that actors have responsibilities.

Forget being an actor-director: we, as citizens, have the responsibility to make the country a better place. And that doesn't mean advertising other people's agendas; it means looking at what is wrong and making it right.

The entertainment industry is always targeted at young people. Understandably so, as they are the key consumers. The young are the ones who are falling in love, starting out in life; older people aren't. Nobody thinks, 'Now I'm going to write a film about an older person.'

People are lazy when they cast. It's natural to think of the most obvious fit to your character.

People should see my work and think beyond what I am on daily basis, on Twitter, Instagram, or the perception they have of me in their heads.

I have always been known as Mahesh Bhatt's wife, and I would tell people, 'Hello! I'm here!' This has always been a struggle. I would like to be known for who I am. I'm very happy to be known as his wife or Alia's mother. But I am also a person who, in her own right, has gone through quite a lot of odds.

Being half Kashmiri, it's always special for me to shoot in the valley and to be there with the locals. They are all very warm people who are very hospitable and genteel and always welcome everyone with an open heart.

I would have never thought when I was a young actor that I would want to direct.

Struggle is always very demoralising. It's not a romantic phase in anybody's life. It's very difficult. What it does is, it brings out your creativity in different way.

I have done a lot of things apart from acting, probably because acting was not very consistent in my life.

I was a struggling actor all my life.

Actresses do glamorous roles, and then, after 10 films, they do an offbeat one. But Alia didn't do that. She picked films like 'Highway' and 'Udta Punjab,' too.

I probably marketed myself all wrong. I had exotic looks; I should have done those glamorous roles that exuded 'oomph.' But in my head, I was always an actress first.

It was a miracle that I became an actress. I survived because of hard work and perseverance.

I was a complete anomaly in this business. I didn't fit into the Hema Malini-Zeenat Aman commercial cinema mould, neither the Shabana Azmi-Smita Patil art cinema mould.

Acting is a fair business. If you are not going to bring in the audience, no nepotism will work.

Those who belong to the film families may have a certain advantage, but nobody can keep you in this business if you don't deserve it.

A doctor's son can become a doctor, and no one screams nepotism. I don't understand why, in this industry, people keep saying 'Nepotism, nepotism.'

Nepotism is a natural thing that happens in every field.

I always set small goals and work towards them to achieve them.

My acting, writing, performance - keep me on my toes.

My passion is my driving force.

A filmmaker is in a very vulnerable position when their films are releasing.

There is nothing wrong in playing parts in a good film.

In 'Yours Truly,' I was the centre of the story; I was the protagonist. There was a lot more happening inside the mind of the character which was not projected loudly through dialogue and action... As a performer, playing such a nuanced, internal character is challenging.

I think every content can reach its potential audience if placed rightfully.

My mother is a German who was brought up in the U.K. So, there is so much cross-cultural exposure I had as a child. But Mumbai is my city.

I am very much of an Indian by heart.

I was really a very ambitious young girl when I started studying drama and performing art.

I wanted to work in the Hindi film industry much more than what I was offered. But if you are a grain of rice in a wheat field, it is not your fault... You are just different.

As you grow older, you start looking at the bigger picture. You don't look at only yourself.

I am very political in my mind, thoughts, and understanding.

When television emerged, it opened up many avenues for actors like me, but after a point, it also became very limiting.

I am one of those people who cannot sit idle at home; I would get depressed. I have a constant hunger to create and to learn.

It makes the city unique and hold a charm. In old Kolkata, there are some beautiful old buildings... some of them are well-maintained; somewhere reflects what the city has gone through in the past.

Kolkata does not look like a Delhi or Mumbai. The city has its identity.

I am the mother, and the emotional chord with my children is naturally strong. So there are times when I might get sleepless nights because I am worried.

I am a mother. Whether it is Alia or Shaheen, at any point in time, if they are suffering, I am the one who gets affected badly.

Presumably, with age, you mellow down.

If you are not willing to grow together, then the relationship will not survive.

I don't know what kept us together. Initially, both of us were hotheaded, so we would end up fighting a lot. But there was a lot of love and respect, too, I guess. I believe that's the key to a successful marriage.

Not much changed post-'Raazi.' I didn't get too many offers.

The digital space is becoming more relevant, and people are watching a lot of stuff on the web.

It is always wonderful to have a theatrical release; lot of filmmakers desire that.

I'm an actress. I'm ready to work anytime.

Compared to Alia, it's little more difficult for Shaheen, as she has a famous father and a famous sibling, too. So, I always tell my daughters to not to pay much heed to these expectations and give more importance to their dreams. They should keep working hard and find their own talent.

Everyone is different, and each has to create his or her own path, irrespective of who their parents are.

Alia and Shaheen have a smart father and have got good genes. But it's not fair that people expect them to do as well as their father.

It's tough for a child to deal with expectations that people have if they have a successful parent. A child often fails to cope with the same and constantly tries to find out possible ways to excel - just to live up to the name.