This actress was denied entry because she arrived in Swift at Filmfare event

In a recent chat with Aleena Dissects, Kalki Koechlin reflected on the growing obsession with image in Bollywood. Touching on the broader discussion around the soaring expenses of celebrity entourages that surfaced last year, she shared a striking experience of how she was once refused entry to an award show simply because she didn’t arrive in a high-end vehicle.

Kalki shared that choosing not to flaunt a large entourage to project star status could potentially affect the kind of roles and opportunities that come her way. She said, “For years, I arrived at the Filmfare Awards in my Swift, and my dress would be bigger than the car. People would stop the vehicle and wouldn’t let it enter the venue, and then I had to show my invite and say, ‘It’s me.’ That’s just who I am — I value freedom and everything else that comes with it. I don’t want that kind of lifestyle because I want to be spontaneous. When you don’t have an entourage, there’s less chance of being spotted, and fewer people following you. The only place it’s a problem is at airports — I’ve dedicated that 1.5 hours at the airport to my fans, because it’s back-to-back selfies."

Kalki admitted that maintaining a public image and engaging in PR is essential to some degree. She also noted that for top-tier celebrities, having bodyguards and PR teams is sometimes a matter of safety.

 

 

 

 

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While discussing how far some actors go to uphold their image, Kalki shared, "I know people who live in a tiny 1BHK but drive an Audi. They’ll show up to meetings in an Audi with a driver, but they live in a small hole. For me, freedom is really important. I do spend money — but on living in a beautiful house in Goa and flying back and forth to Mumbai. That’s where all my money goes.”

Kalki’s latest work includes the Tamil romantic action thriller Nesippaya, directed by Vishnuvardhan, starring Akash Murali in his debut, along with Aditi Shankar, R. Sarathkumar, Prabhu, and Khushbu. She is also set to star in the upcoming English-language film Emma and Angel.