Anxiety has been a big problem for me, but I think my biggest struggle has been depression.

Ileana D'Cruz

Categorized in : Me Depression Struggle Anxiety

Love yourself for who you are, and trust me, if you are happy from within, you are the most beautiful person, and your smile is your best asset.

best smile beautiful love

My mum is a rock star, and I idolise her. She was born in a conservative Muslim family, where the girls were not educated much, and she was required to wear a burkha. She felt repressed but dreamt of driving her own car, walking around in jeans and wearing sunglasses, and she did.

driving car family walking

I never thought I'd be somebody dealing with anxiety or depression.

never thought anxiety depression

You are a human being and are allowed to be imperfect, and you are allowed to be flawed. There is a lot of beauty in your imperfections, in your uniqueness.

human-being your you beauty

I had a different perception of what a relationship or love is like. I was all giddy-headed and fairytale about it in my head, but it's so different. There's a lot of restraint that you've got to have, compromising in certain situations - and you've got to have a lot of respect.

you respect love relationship

I enjoyed every experience that life offers.

every enjoyed experience life

Imperfections are a part of life, and one should learn to love who you are.

to-love you love life

I don't want my personal life to become a part of public domain. It is something that is sacred and means a lot to me. I don't want it to become some frivolous gossip column.

me gossip want life

When I have actors flirting with me in acting, in my head, I am thinking, 'If I flirt back, I could definitely land a film with this guy. If I consider going to his house for drinks, considering he has invited me, I could definitely get a film with him.' But I just don't want to do that.

i-am me house thinking

I like my smile.

When I first started out in Telugu cinema, I signed anything and everything that came my way. I was 18, was immature, and it felt like a good idea that 'Oh, they are paying me a good amount of money.' I was young, naive; I had zero ambition, and honestly, it wasn't my calling.

good me money ambition

A lot of people say I am very mysterious. It takes a lot to know me.

i-am know me people

As far as clothes are concerned, for the day, wear something chic: a good pair of jeans, crop, and open hair with a bright lip colour. For an evening, a nice pair of high-waisted trousers and a nice blouse looks great.

day great good hair

I have been parts of some films in the South where I didn't expect certain shots to be shot in a certain way. I wasn't experienced enough; I was very naive. I didn't have the standing of an actor to say that I don't want to do this shot.

standing enough want way

In the end, only a good actor stands out; if I am not a good actor, I won't stand out.

stand i-am end good

If I'm going to get overshadowed in a film, it's because of something that I haven't done, not because of what the other heroine has done or because I've focused on the amount of scenes she had in the film.

she something focused done

Eleven years of acting it has been for me, and I still sometimes think I am not cut out for this. I hate the people-pleasing that goes with it, and the stupid politics, but that is with every kind of work and job.

i-am me politics work

I'm a fairly mature woman, and I've realised that I'm not going to grow if I keep thinking, 'The other heroine in the film is so much better than me.' I would rather take inspiration from them.

grow woman me thinking

You have one life, and it can't be just about work because you lose out on so many amazing years of your life if you just work, work, and work.

amazing you work life

My personal life is only my business and the business of the people who are close to me.

me business life people