Amala Akkineni

“Doing films is not fun or glamorous as it seems.”

“My father was from East Bengal. Having lost everything to the Partition, he came as a refugee.”

“I do not make resolutions for New Year, but visualise and plan things.”

“Once when we were holidaying in Singapur, a fan did not recognise me as I had shaved my head. The fan approached Nagarjuna and asked him ferociously, aren't you married to Amala? Nagarjuna then explained to him that this lady is Amala!”

“Nelson Mandela, Dada Vaswani, Harsh Mander, Shabana Azmi - I admire their humanitarian work. But sadly even Nelson Mandela could not keep corruption out of his cabinet and within a year, I am told, the victims of apartheid turned into perpetrators of corruption on their own people. Greed has no boundaries of colour or country does it?”

“With so many public places banning pets people can't socialise their animals, which makes them more hostile and leads to unsocial behaviour.”

“Like Hyderabad you can't shoot outside in summers. Similarly, Delhi gets scorching in summers.”

“I had to take a decision. Do I pursue dance, my passion, or help my mother out? The movies beckoned.”

“People love a good thriller that makes them sit on their edge of their seats.”

“As an actor, you are always looking for something different and challenging... 'High Priestess' gave me that rare opportunity.”

“Nutrition is the topmost priority for me with my pets at home as well as for the team at Blue Cross.”

“It helps to have a fit body if you are meditating. Yoga conditions the body so that the mind can meditate.”

“From Blue Cross we reach out to about 14,000 school kids every year. No matter where I go, be it a police station or a corporate office, I have some youngsters coming up to me to saying, 'madam we heard you in school.' It feels great and that's something I really enjoy doing.”

“I tend to gravitate towards very simple, minimalistic styles.”

“I am open to taking up any interesting projects that come my way.”

“I was always an animal lover. Even back in school and college, an animal in need of help was my responsibility.”

“Birds and animals in the wild migrate every year to safer and nurturing pastures, leaving behind the old environment. After nurturing their young ones, they return to thrive in the old environs. I use that analogy to meditate. You migrate to your inner soul, nurture the strength, light and creativity there, and return.”

“It is nice to go down the memory lane and remember who I am and what my roots are.”

“Most parents feel traditional professional courses will give their children a stable future.”

“I work with 15 organisations that deal with issues ranging from environment protection and wildlife conservation to human rights, and women's and children's rights, etc.”