KARISMA KAPOOR

Today what is more important for me is performance. At the risk of sounding immodest, I have done it all - 61 movies over 12 years. But now I am looking for quality. It's easy to be a star. Now I want to be an actress.

Okay, this is a secret, but I think that nursery rhymes are the most relaxing and fun songs.

If I want to, I can sign 20 films for ridiculous amounts of money, but I really want to do different kinds of cinema. I want creative satisfaction.

I think it is important to be a friend to your kids. But it is also equally important to set boundaries. My mother was a strong influence, and so was my dad. My mom was my friend whom I couldn't cross.

I love doing yoga and also enjoy going for regular walks.

You get funky things in Goa, so I like shopping there. Paris and Milan are also my preferred shopping destinations.

Maids in India have egos. Big egos. They do not like being spoken to curtly, and they do not like to be abruptly instructed by a woman they do not know. They come with the feeling that they already know everything. So while training them to do things your way, speak gently, and when they do it right, appreciate it.

I won't say I am a strict mother, but discipline is important. Timing and routine are important for kids.

There are no plans that always work in life. For me, the secret to happiness is being positive and looking at the brighter side of my life.

I don't believe in the no-carb diet... I have a theory. I think if you give up carbs, you get cranky. You must include them in your daily diet.

The Kapoor surname has legend, a passion for acting, respect and love attached to it. And I am very proud of that.

I want to abolish tags like 'comeback' and 'retirement' that are used to define every married female actor. What is the big deal? In Hollywood, every top actor takes a break, has children, and gets back to work.

Look at Gwyneth Paltrow and my favourite, Kate Winslet. No one ever says, 'Oh, she's making a comeback.' To my mind, I just went on maternity leave and reported back to work.

I have learned so many things from my mother about the right upbringing, the right values, value for money, value for elders, for family members. I think these things only a parent can teach you.

There are hits and misses, and as an actress, we are mentally ready for all that.

Becoming a mother has been the best experience of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

It is my nature to strive to do my best. This does tend to take a toll on you.

I try to shield my children as far as possible from the public glare. I want them to have a normal childhood like we had. We went to school by the school bus, had school food... There was no special treatment given to us. The same applies to my children as well.

I think I have just evolved as a person, as a human being. I like fitness. It's an important part of my everyday life, and I enjoy and endorse a healthy lifestyle.

India has progressed to a stage where a divorcee status hardly matters. What matters is that you raise a positive, independent, well-behaved and intelligent child.

Acting is like driving; you can never forget it, and it's in my blood.

Just do what you believe in, and success will follow.

My son has taken liking for sports and is most of the time playing cricket and football. It is so much fun being with them, as I'm enjoying every phase of motherhood.

I am doing what I love; acting is what I love best after being a mother.

I think a child requires initial years of a mother's attention, which is very important, and I did it without any thought in the world. That's what I wanted to do.