Kalki Koechlin On Stardom and What Money Means To Her

A bohemian at heart, it took her more than a few years and a few bumps to understand the significance of being financially sound. Actor Kalki Koechlin opens up to Outlook Money about the choices in life, investments and movies that define her today

- Mohini Chaudhuri

At the very onset of the interview, actor Kalki Koechlin declares she is clueless about money, finance, stocks, mutual funds and everything in that realm. “This is going to be a really funny interview. I don’t know anything about money. I take advice on how to invest from my next-door neighbour,” she says, even before she can settle into her seat at a suburban Mumbai restaurant. In fact, 2018 started for her with a sermon from her longstanding talent managers at KWAN. “They told me, ‘Kalki, can we please try and make some money this year?’ They’ve been with me since before Dev.D, so they know how I am. By now, they know that I will run off to do theatre for two months and turn my phone off.”

It’s been nine years and roughly 16 films since the release of her first Hindi film Dev.D, and despite what she may say about being a hopeless negotiator, Kalki has steadfastly managed to build her brand. Every now and then, she has met with stone cold silence from her managers when she announces that she’s doing a tiny, indie project. The trouble, she says, is that she can’t resist a good script. “Like just now, I did a film with Rajat Kapoor. It was a quick 20-day shoot. Sab ghar ki baat hai. There was no money. He said we’ll pay you later. I can’t say no to him. I’ve worked with him for years. When I say these things to my managers, I get silence for two days. Then they’ll say, you know you’re missing out on a big, commercial, action movie. You could get this much money,” she says with a laugh.