“As a woman, it is so tough to grow your business. People are ready to hear all your creative inputs, but the minute you start talking about numbers and statistics, they look over your shoulder to see whether you have a man backing you up or not.”

Indian actress, born 1978

Lara Dutta Bhupathi is an Indian actress known for her work in Hindi films and television series. Born in 1978, she first came to wider attention through pageantry, winning Miss Intercontinental 1997 and Miss Universe 2000. She went on to build a career in Hindi screen entertainment and became a prominent leading actress in the 2000s. She has also received a Filmfare Award, marking her place in mainstream Indian cinema.