Queen Of Cool: B’Day Girl Kalki Koechlin Plays By Her Own Rules

What makes Kalki Koechlin stand out in the Bollywood crowd? Plenty!

Kalki Koechlin turns a year younger.

(Photo courtesy: Instagram/ @kalkikoechlin)

Kalki Koechlin is unlike any star Bollywood has seen. As unconventional in her looks and choice of films and theatre as her outspokenness, she is a far cry from regular B-town diktats. As she turns a year younger today (10 January), here’s looking at some of the unconventional ways in which Kalki has and is changing the rules of the game. This girl has effortlessly made her mark across life’s paths and is cool from the word go.

Happy birthday, Kalki!

Not Afraid Of Feminism

In an industry where leading ladies go out of their way to proclaim they are not feminists, Kalki is a breath of fresh - and sane - air. She has collaborated on a number of projects over the years in the form of poetry to live performances to the famous ‘Unblushed’ video to talk about feminist issues.

Act Of Passion

From The Girl In Yellow Boots to Margarita, With A Straw to Waiting - Kalki Koechlin has always been part of realistic, edgy projects. At the same time, she has made her mark in mainstream Bollywood with her supporting role in the Ranbir-Deepika starrer Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani.

And unlike Bollywood actors who use the stage as a stepping stone to cinema, Kalki continues to be passionate about theatre. She also set up her own theatre company called Little Productions last year.

Ranvir Shorey as Macbeth and Kalki Koechlin as Lady Macbeth in What Is Done Is Done!

Talking Sex, Sexual Abuse

In a country where sex is increasingly treated as something non-existent, Kalki is a rare B-town celeb who talks openly about sex and being sexually abused as a child.

I’ve become more selfish in bed now. And I’m much more fussy (about partners), my bullshit tolerance is a lot less. I don’t just like someone because they like me, which was the case usually. But, then again, as you get older, you’re just grateful to be getting some.

Kalki Koechlin, Actor (Source: <a href="http://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/120816/i-found-it-really-hard-when-i-left-anurag-kalki-koechlin-breaks-her-silence.html">Deccan Chronicle</a>)

The reason I spoke out about my sexual abuse is not to get people to feel sorry for me but to give others who have had similar circumstances the confidence to talk about it. I allowed someone to have sex with me at the age of nine, not understanding fully what it meant and my biggest fear after was that my mother would find out. I felt it was my mistake and so I kept it hidden for years. If I had had the confidence or awareness to confide in my parents it would have saved me years of complexes about my own sexuality.&nbsp;

(Source: <a href="http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/kalki-koechlin-speaks-about-being-sexually-abused-at-the-age-of-9/">Indian Express</a>)

Girl On Wheels

Kalki, the biker girl. (Photo Courtesy: FOX Life)  

Kalki had biked across 4,000km of north-east India with her father Joel for the TV show Kalki’s Great Escape. From beer making and navigating across a rope bridge, to joining an impromptu football game, she did it all. How cool is that?

(This story is from The Quint’s archives and was first published on January 09, 2017. It is being republished on the occasion of Kalki Koechlin’s birthday.)