She's all that

Over a decade into the Indian film industry, Kalki Koechlin has preserved her identity as a free-spoken and earnest actor. As she starts a new chapter, we tune into a conversation about beauty beyond the surface

- Tanya Mehta

At the risk of sounding cheesy, when Kalki walks into the studio she radiates a pregnant glow. Dressed in a casual beige shirt and jeans, with a slight bump in sight, the actor is set to welcome her first child with boyfriend Guy Hershburg early next year. Her surprise announcement via social media earned her immense media speculation, but true to her nature, Koechlin seems calm and unruffled. At the movies, the actor has been recognised for her off-kilter and often murky roles, earning the tag of being one of only a handful of artists who hasn’t succumbed to the allures of commercial cinema. In the past year, we saw her play pivotal roles in two immensely successful web series, Made in Heaven and Sacred Games; she also played the protagonist in the psychological show, Bhram which she filmed for into the later stages of her pregnancy. And coming up, the actor is set to star in theatre production, Uncle Vanya. But, her journey to stardom hasn’t been without its hurdles, she sheds light on the growing years and what lies ahead.

GRAZIA: You’re a French girl who grew up in India, did you ever feel like an anomaly?

KALKI KOECHLIN: I was born in a small fishing village in Tamil Nadu, all my friends were Tamilians, so for them I stood out like a sore thumb even though I didn’t feel like a foreigner at heart. But the older I got, it became increasingly obvious, whether it was boys hitting on me because of the colour of my skin or getting approached by people in Goa asking if I was selling drugs, all the worst stereotypes latched on. In fact, I never thought I was pretty as a kid, I was lanky and awkward, I have an elder brother, so I was quite the tomboy.

G: How has your perception of beauty altered over time?