“Despite being in showbiz, I have a very real approach to my life. It plays off with my social life.”

The larger the audience the better. The more pockets in the world, the more interesting and exciting because it just makes it that much more liberating. This makes it that much more liberating for the various facets of creativity to be explored.

Beauty is transient and changes with time.

Even prior to marriage and motherhood, it’s always been about prioritising and focusing on what you can commit to. That’s been my approach to every aspect of my life, be it my relationships or my professional commitments.

Life will take its toll on all of us. We get injured, we get old. It’s really sad to try to run away from these harsh realities of life. Looks are not everything. I am not going to look beautiful all the time.

I have a great story to tell and I tell it well. No holds barred.

I’m just an average woman with average concerns.

For me, it’s not about breaking big in Hollywood, but having interesting experiences.

Right now, I’m following the Buddhist principle: Smile as abuse is hurled your way and this too shall pass.

Sexy in India is not considered positive. But, with today’s crop of fresh faces in the modelling arena, being sexy is an asset.

My biggest concern is always the students who are working toward a certain career – when they limit themselves to just that one option. They need to know that the world is huge – it’s an ocean, and there are so many options. It’s not the end of the world if they don’t get to pursue an apparent childhood dream.

I know for a fact that if there’s a role which I am suited for, I’ll be signed on. I’ll never go begging.

Strangely, nothing makes me feel tired, fatigued, at all. I’ve gone days and nights without sleep, and still the mind is in such a positive space it just doesn’t make you feel fatigued.

Elegance is innate, individual, eternal, it stands the test of time!

Do we recognize the platform that Indian cinema has been given? Of course. And typically India of us, we gracefully acknowledge our host’s grace and we thank you for celebrating us and our cinema.

My family is my strength and my weakness.

Even in India the Hindi film industry might be the best known but there are movies made in other regional languages in India, be it Tamil or Bengali. Those experiences too are different from the ones in Bombay.

I’m proud to be a symbol like the army knife or the mountains.

Lectures which really teach will never be popular; lectures which are popular will never really teach.

I don’t believe in pessimism. If something doesn’t come up the way you want, forge ahead. If you think it’s going to rain, it will.

I’m not a celebrity. I’m just the same Simone. I just have two Olympic Gold medals now.

As a sportsperson, the best thing is people recognising you and loving you for what you do. For me, glamour is 100 people in the hotel feeling happy to see you.

You need to look like a lady at the Oscars. Otherwise, Joan Rivers will tear you apart. Then again, you aren’t really anyone till Joan Rivers tears you apart.

I just knew that was what I wanted to do. I was going to perform as a singer; I was going to perform as a dancer, and I was, you know, going to do movies and be an actress. I was going to do it or die trying. That’s what my life was.

Fame is a fickle food upon a shifting plate.