Quotes from Amala Akkineni

I can't hang out for roles but if something meaningful comes my way I don't say no.

It is nice to go down the memory lane and remember who I am and what my roots are.

While growing up we all did our own work' I remember, we had a sign on our bathroom door which said 'Gandhiji cleaned his own bathrooms, so must you.'

Not many people know that I am a Bengali actually.

Like Hyderabad you can't shoot outside in summers. Similarly, Delhi gets scorching in summers.

With so many public places banning pets people can't socialise their animals, which makes them more hostile and leads to unsocial behaviour.

If you are seeking fame without the requisite talent, you might wander.

War is such a wasteful activity.

Rukmini Devi was an icon for all the Bharat Natyam students at Kalakshetra. I grew up watching her at dance school and I associate her style with grace and humility - it's never the clothes, it's the persona.

My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds and buffaloes everywhere.

A story has to have several layers to sustain audience interest in each episode.

Ereena is a commendable mission for both women empowerment and environmentally sustainable Ahimsa silk.

There's no denying that my popularity helped me a lot.

It is important to sensitise children about animal behaviour as it will help develop a healthy curiosity towards nature.

The discussion of animal rights in jallikattu has been misunderstood. We know that the tails of the bulls are broken, that chilly powder is rubbed into their eyes and they are forcibly fed country liquor. The animal is overwhelmed and does not know what is happening.

I would like to clarify that the only adoption I am involved is through the Blue Cross Animal Welfare Shelter where we provide healthy and friendly homeless animals for adoption.

But being a director of a media school in Hyderabad, being actively involved in animal welfare and my personal life keep me busy all day.

It's incredible being a woman. I was, of course, fortunate to have an Irish mother who is an empowered woman. She comes from the western culture where women's rights and empowerment happened much earlier in the 19th century.

I was extremely close to my mother-in-law and after she, and later my father-in-law passed away, I continue to feel their presence.

I don't feel the need to act. But if I really like the role and it doesn't demand much of my time, maybe.

Nutrition is the topmost priority for me with my pets at home as well as for the team at Blue Cross.

Filmmaking these days is so technically advanced. When I started off, we had to wait for two to three months to see the rushes. But now you can see every scene on the monitor and you can see your work immediately.

I speak Tamil and Telugu better than Bengali.

Everyone is born with it but, unfortunately, our society and culture are programmed to kill creativity.