Kalki, out of the box

I love the fact that Kalki Koechlin, one of our most versatile actors, does not fit into a box.

- SHOBHAA DE

She has deftly carved a place for herself, defined by her unusual lineage. Being “different” in an industry that favours conformists, especially female actors who seem to emerge from the same mould, Kalki has always stood out, as much for her unusual looks as the roles she shines in.

She bills herself as a “French actress and writer”, but is so much more, as I discovered over dinner in Chandigarh, where we were invited to a well-curated Lit Fest by Chitkara University.

Dressed in an oversized black blazer, fresh off a flight from Goa, Kalki appeared without make-up, exuding an unpretentious demeanour. At 41, she is as busy as she chooses to be, picking her professional assignments mindfully, given her top prior-ity—Sappho, her six-year-old daughter with Israeli partner Guy Hershberg, a talented musician, with a hectic concert schedule across Europe.