Kriti Kharbanda may be just two films old in Bollywood, but she has been a leading lady in Kannada and Telegu films since 2009. Ahead of her Hindi romantic drama Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana hitting screens this Friday, the actress spoke to BT about how women still don't have decision-making rights post marriage, why auditioning for a role is not the norm in B-Town and why more than pay parity, actresses need to fight for the same respect that's shown to male actors. Excerpts...

While your Bollywood debut was a horror flick, the second outing was a comedy. And now, your upcoming release is a romantic drama. Are you making deliberate efforts to avoid getting stereotyped?
It's plain luck that I've been offered films from various genres. When I did Raaz Reboot, many people warned me that I would be typecast as an actress who does horror and serious films. Though the fear of being typecast was there, I had faith in myself and I knew that I had a funny face (laughs). Fortunately, my second film (Guest Iin London) was a comedy, which gave me the chance to be seen as a typical Hindi film heroine. I was asked to test for Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana even before that film released. I was a little taken aback because I hadn't auditioned for my earlier films, but then, I realised that we'll be tested at every stage in our lives. That experience also made me realize that one could be a fabulous actor, but until and unless you fit the director's vision, you will not be finalized for a role.

Given the competitive environment that you inhabit, was there any other incident that made you realise that you have to bring your A-game with you all the time?
Three years ago, I delivered a huge hit in Kannada, titled Googly. Soon after, I attended an awards function where they were giving away two awards — one critics’ choice and the other, popular choice. I was confident about receiving an award, as I felt that I deserved it. However, there was some politics involved and I didn’t win anything. That’s when I realized that being talented and having a beautiful face is not enough. That incident made me work harder and the following year, I got that award. But it still hurts me that one of my best performances went unappreciated. I know actors say that awards don’t matter but I love being appreciated and I want awards. In fact, I want both rewards and awards. If another actor has performed better than me, I will genuinely appreciate him or her. But at the end of the day, I am very competitive.

While you come across as someone who is frank, many stars prefer being politically correct, fearing backlash on social media. Have you ever felt the pressure to be more diplomatic?
I will speak my mind. I feel strongly for people who aren't able to speak out because I was that person at one point. I couldn't speak my mind, I used to have panic attacks and feel anxious. It was and it still is a part of my life. For me, stardom is also the ability to influence people. So, when I see Deepika Padukone speak about her battle with depression, I feel inspired. She is making the right use of her stardom. I want to help people who have been abused both men and women. I want to make it big so that when I address the issue, it will make an impact.

Coming back to Shaadi Mein Zaroor Aana, there is a dialogue in the film, (“Beti ko padhana chahiye beton ke tarah, padha diya use, aage kya karegi, sasural kya karvaega usse, kahan us beti ke haath main hota hai”) which seems to echo a patriarchal mindset. Do you think that even with so much progress, women still don’t have a voice after marriage?
It’s sad, but true. In fact, I have seen it happening to people I know. Our definition of marriage is still the age-old one. If our thinking about rapes hasn’t changed, how can we evolve as far as our attitude towards marriage is concerned? Eighty per cent men still consider women as their ‘paaon ki jooti’. Harsher punishments have to be meted out to rapists and similar punishments should be given to people who abuse their partners in a marriage as well.

Since you addressed abuse, do you think a campaign like #metoo (women speaking out against sexual harassment and abuse) is important to unite women to stand up against abuse? Will it eventually lead women and men to take legal recourse and ensure that the perpetrators are punished?
The women who were part of the #MeToo campaign had the guts to speak up, but they are not the women we need to reach out to. I don’t undermine the power of social media, but that campaign didn’t do justice to the women who actually need help. I remember how, when I was in class eight, a guy on a bike slapped my behind when I was walking down the street, but I never spoke about it. We need to help such women — the ones who face harassment and then go back to do chulha-chauka as if nothing has happened.

What are the challenges that you encounter as an actress in the Hindi film industry? Many leading ladies have spoken about pay disparity and discrimination between the hero and the heroine when it comes to assignment of hotel rooms and logistics like that...
I think an actress can ask for a remuneration that is directly proportional to the opening her film can fetch at the box office. Since even an average Salman Khan-starrer will earn close to Rs 150 or Rs 200 crore, he can demand a fee that is way higher than anyone else. As an actor, I cannot guarantee that business. today. It’s an industry and everyone wants to make money, people are not here just for the love of cinema. Actually, I feel it’s even more important to be respected. If a director tells me that I am perfect for a role and this is how much he can offer me, I’ll do that film. On the contrary, I’ll walk away if I am told, ‘arre itne main karlona bade hero ki picture hai aapko break de rahe hain hum’.