Kalki Koechlin opens up on feeling as an 'outsider', shares teenage memories

New Delhi: One of the most talented finds in Bollywood, actress Kalki Koechlin has made a niche spot for herself in the movie business. She has experimented with the kind of roles she chose and has an impressive body of work to boast about.

The Humans Of Bombay shared the real story of the actress and how she felt like an 'outsider' in India while growing up. Kalki shared the story on her Instagram account. She wrote: “My father hitchhiked from France to India & while he was living here, he met my mother. When they started a family, they were very much the locals of the city. My father taught hang gliding, while my mom taught French. I had an amazing childhood. For the most part, I was never aware that I was ‘white’. I didn’t feel like an outsider until much later. As I grew up, I noticed the difference. When I was a teenager, my friends & I would go on trips to the beach & people would approach me to buy drugs. I also had a nagging fear that I was being hit on because people thought I didn’t follow Indian customs. So I’d be extra nice with the aunties–make sure they knew I was just like my friends. As the years went by I realised I wanted to be an actor & went abroad to study. To sustain myself, I worked as a waitress & taught in schools while trying to juggle plays. Once I knew I was ready–I moved back home. I started going for auditions, I’d even carry an extra pair of clothes everywhere. But it was hard. I got many rejections & was typecast. After countless tries I finally got my first role in DevD! But that wasn’t enough to guarantee more work. For 2 years I had no offers. But I didn’t give up, I kept writing & acting in my own plays. And in 2011 I had 4 movie releases!

The struggles never really end. When my ex-husband & I separated, I had to deal with the rumors. Everytime I stepped out with a man, the media thought we were dating. Journalists would ask how my life was post-divorce, how was I handling my career & balancing it? Even concerned neighbours would ask my parents such questions. But I chose to ignore it.

So through all of this, I’ve learnt that the struggle is on-going. It can find you anywhere. But life goes on, you think it’s the end of the world just because something terrible happens, but you know you can deal with it. It will pass and tomorrow it will take care of itself! But it's amazing what you can get through! You sleep it off & begin again.”

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#Repost @officialhumansofbombay (@get_repost) ・・・ “My father hitchhiked from France to India & while he was living here, he met my mother. When they started a family, they were very much the locals of the city. My father taught hang gliding, while my mom taught French. I had an amazing childhood. For the most part, I was never aware that I was ‘white’. I didn’t feel like an outsider until much later. As I grew up, I noticed the difference. When I was a teenager, my friends & I would go on trips to the beach & people would approach me to buy drugs. I also had a nagging fear that I was being hit on because people thought I didn’t follow Indian customs. So I’d be extra nice with the aunties–make sure they knew I was just like my friends. As the years went by I realised I wanted to be an actor & went abroad to study. To sustain myself, I worked as a waitress & taught in schools while trying to juggle plays. Once I knew I was ready–I moved back home. I started going for auditions, I’d even carry an extra pair of clothes everywhere. But it was hard. I got many rejections & was typecast. After countless tries I finally got my first role in DevD! But that wasn’t enough to guarantee more work. For 2 years I had no offers. But I didn’t give up, I kept writing & acting in my own plays. And in 2011 I had 4 movie releases! The struggles never really end. When my ex-husband & I separated, I had to deal with the rumors. Everytime I stepped out with a man, the media thought we were dating. Journalists would ask how my life was post-divorce, how was I handling my career & balancing it? Even concerned neighbours would ask my parents such questions. But I chose to ignore it. So through all of this, I’ve learnt that the struggle is on-going. It can find you anywhere. But life goes on, you think it’s the end of the world just because something terrible happens, but you know you can deal with it. It will pass and tomorrow it will take care of itself! But it's amazing what you can get through! You sleep it off & begin again.” —- HoB with Amazon Prime Video India brings to you the real stories of people which showcase the good, the bad and the ugly – all that is a part of the chaos

A post shared by Kalki (@kalkikanmani) on Mar 19, 2019 at 7:20am PDT

The actress made her debut in Bollywood with Anurag Kashyap's 'Dev D' and went on to bag the Filmfare Award for the Best Supporting Actress that year. She played the role of modern-day Chandramukhi.

She was last seen in blockbuster hit 'Gully Boy' by Zoya Akhtar starring Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatt in the lead roles. Kalki is quite active on the theatre circuit with plays keeping her busy. Also, she is exploring the digital space with some interesting web-series.