Birthday special: Kalki Koechlin, the versatile actor

Kalki Koechlin, the bright chirpy dame of Bollywood turns 31 today. Known for her vivacious temperament and intense acting skills, Kalki has established herself as a seasoned actor in a very short span.

In an industry that is filled with insecurity and self-doubt, the actor stays happy, grounded and true to her herself.

It's no surprise then, that she doesn't pretend to be working out all day long, or advocating the latest diet fad. Her fitness mantra, much like the way she deals with life, is balance: "There is no place for anything extreme in my life. I'm not a person who does things in excess. I never diet, I don't smoke and I hardly ever drink (maybe, a little wine here and there, and a shot of black coffee didn't harm anyone!). I eat at regular intervals, I sometimes work out and I never have huge meals," she says.

The actress, of French descent, debuted in Anurag Kashyap's critically acclaimed saga Dev.D where she played the complex role of a prostitute that marked the beginning of her career and even won her the Best Supporting Actress trophy at Filmfare Awards. Since then she's potrayed many roles in off-beat films like Shaitaan, That Girl in Yellow Boots, Shanghai and My Friend Pinto. Her foray into mainstream films like Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani got her box-office success too.

Kalki grew up with her folks in Kallatty, a little village in the Nigiris, near Pondicherry. She lived her childhood amidst hand gliders and microlight aircraft that her dad designed. Plus, "We used to trek a lot when we were kids. Where I come from, it's not uncommon for me to jump off a cliff," she laughs. This probably explains why she's an outdoors sort of girl. "I actually get bored at gyms. I prefer swimming, yoga, sports-give me a game of basketball, a trek to the Himalayas or deep sea diving and I'll jump at it," she says with conviction.

Unfortunately, her work doesn't really leave her with a lot of time. "There are 15-hour day shifts; we have no idea of night and day sometimes because we are continuously shooting and we're constantly travelling to locations we don't know much about," she says. "Bollywood life is not as glam as it might seem. We are not partying every day and wearing glamorous clothes. We're working. This career is not for the lazy," she adds chirpily.

"Our parents used to take us to the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry to meditate. I used to dread it because it was so quiet and boring. But my mom once told me to empty my mind. That's tough, but it can be truly rewarding," she says.

Today, switching off from daily life-phones, SMS, Twitter, Facebook and email helps. She's a big believer in falling off the grid. "We are spoilt; we need time to recharge without being connected all the time. I write in my spare time-it's good to reflect," she chirps. She 'peaces out' out a lot too. "Whenever I'm upset or tired, I meditate," she says.

Talking of work, she has learnt to block out the chatter. "The media talks about what I wear, how I dress and how thin I am. It's depressing, but I am not one to care much about these things. I just stopped reading page three and ended up spending more time researching or concentrating on the work at hand," she adds unapologetically.

So what does success mean to her? "The insatiable feeling that asks you to do more. I want to do more with my life and that enthusiasm keeps me going. I want to find that balance with my family, my husband and my work," she adds. With a roster of new films, Gia Aur Sia, Happy Ending and Margarita, with a Straw in tow, Kalki doesn't seem to show any sign of stopping. And how we love her for it!