What is your idea of happiness?
To live peacefully with a smile on my face.
What is your greatest fear?
Losing somebody I love.
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
Probably be two sizes smaller?
If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?
Nothing at all. I’m extremely content with it, with all its ups and downs.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
That I have been able to manage problems without help.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing, what do you think it would be?
The exact person I am today.
What is your idea of misery?
Having a prickly conscience. I can’t imagine something more miserable.
Where would you like to live?
Nowhere but my home in Chennai. I think it’s the best place in the world.
What is your favourite occupation?
Acting and producing. If I had to pick one, I’d choose acting. Producing is a bit risky.
What is your most marked characteristic?
That I smile a lot. If I can say one more, my attitude.
What is thequality you most like in the opposite sex?
Honesty, of course, and practicality.
What do you most appreciate in your friends?
That they let me be who I am, and that they don’t mince words when criticising me. Most of all, that they stick by me through thick and thin.
Who are your favourite authors?
After having children, I haven’t read as often as I’d like. I’m no Mills and Boon person though. I loved Taslima Nasrin for Lajja and Betty Mahmoody for Not Without my Daughter .
Who is your favourite hero of fiction?
Tintin, Phantom and Mandrake.
Who are your heroes in real life?
One man — Amitabh Bachchan. His posters adorn my room and I think he’s a hero in every sense of the word. To have bounced back after seeing the lows he did is a special achievement.
What are your favourite names?
I love Ranganayaki. I knew a dancer by that name when I entered films. There’s something poetic about it.
I also love Malavika. I wanted to name my first daughter that but couldn’t. And just one more? I love my original name, Nakhat, which means ‘fragrance’. ‘Khushbu’ means the same. While you have many Muslims named Nikhat, you hardly have any with my name.
What is your present state of mind?
Complete bliss. Everything is just fine.
How would you like to die?
Peacefully, in my sleep, after I’ve had grandchildren, and with the assurance that my daughters are secure.
What is your favourite motto?
Don’t judge those you don’t know.
This questionnaire was administered by Sudhir Srinivasan.