Kalki Koechlin, named after the 10th avatar of Vishnu, has a deep connection to both India and France. Her great-grandfather was the chief engineer behind the Eiffel Tower, but she jokes that it doesn’t get her a discount on visits.
At the Chitkara Literature Festival, she spoke candidly about her debut book ‘Elephant in the Womb,’ which deals with postpartum struggles. She also pointed out that the film industry needs to acknowledge that many movies are failing and money is scarce.
Kalki has starred in hits like ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’ and ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani,’ but she remains unsure if sequels truly work. She believes that question is best answered by directors like Zoya Akhtar and Ayan Mukerji.
Having collaborated with top filmmakers, she has a list of favorites, including Nitya Mehra and Dibakar Banerjee. She also worked with her ex-husband Anurag Kashyap in ‘Sacred Games 2’—an experience she found easy since time had passed since their split.
She understands the media’s hunger for headlines but refuses to chase attention, valuing personal time to rejuvenate. While the pace of her work may slow at times, she is confident she’ll be around in the industry till she’s 90.
With OTT platforms changing entertainment, she notes that women can take center stage. In her upcoming series ‘Bhay,’ she plays a skeptical journalist investigating paranormal cases. As a mother, she candidly shares her struggles with guilt, joking that moms need a separate universe for it. Her advice to her daughter? Be yourself and don’t take the beauty market too seriously.