Kalki Koechlin says she would often be asked for drugs because she’s a ‘white girl’: ‘The minute I spoke in Tamil…’

Kalki Koechlin opens up about facing racism while growing up and how the film industry objectifies women during a film's production.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | Updated: July 25, 2023 12:50 PM IST

3 min read

Actor Kalki Koechlin speaks about facing racism and casting couch. (Photo: Instagram/kalkikanmani)

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Actor Kalki Koechlin, who will be seen in the second iteration of Made in Heaven, has spoken about growing up as a ‘white girl’ in India and her initial years in the Hindi film industry, including some unsavoury incidents. The actor was born to French parents in Pondicherry, and stayed in Ooty later. However, she faced discrimination and judgement because of her looks during her growing up years. She revealed that children in school often assumed that she had ‘drugs’ on her because she is a white girl.

In an interview on The Male Feminist, Kalki said that during her teenage years, many people assumed that she would have access to drugs because she was white but their behaviour would quickly change when she would speak in Tamil.

“I saw it (patriarchy) very young because I was asked for drugs. Because I was the only white girl in my group (so it was about) loose morals, white girls phenomenon. They watch Baywatch and think everyone is like that. The minute I would answer back in Tamil, they would be like Akka, sister. Suddenly their perspective of you changes just because you speak in their language,” Kalki said.

Also Read | Kalki Koechlin: ‘Always feel strange parallel between films I do and my life’

The actor, who has been part of films such as Dev D, Margarita With A Straw and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, also spoke about facing casting couch experience.

“There was film I did an audition for and I really liked and they called me back and said that you just need to meet the producer. So, I met the producer in his office with the blinds down and he said, ‘So, you know this is going to be your big opportunity. You are going to make it with this and I would really like to know you better. Can we go for dinner?’ I got the drift of it and said that, ‘Listen, its not for me. I am not into that’,” she said.

Kalki also added about being shamed for her looks, “And then you get comments like, don’t smile too much, your teeth are too big, you get comments on your body and you get stuff like that said to you and so you become ultra conscious. I remember this make up artist….I was 24 at that time and he said, ‘I can’t do the eye liner on your eyes because there are too many wrinkles’.”

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