Kalki Koechlin reveals that a producer once asked her for cosmetic filler for her laugh lines: ‘She was talking about her ex who was a beautiful actress, she did too much botox’ |

actor Kalki Koechlin She recently reflected on an awkward encounter with a film producer who suggested they get cosmetic fillers for her laugh lines over a casual lunch. Kalki revealed that although the comment angered her, she chose to handle the situation with humor rather than confrontation.Recalling the incident, Kalki said the conversation initially revolved around the producer’s ex-partner, an actress. “I remember sitting down with a producer and having lunch and he was talking about his ex, who’s a beautiful actress. And he was saying she was doing too much Botox, like she’d gone a little too crazy and looked really bad,” she said in an interview with Lilly Singh.She then shared how the producer unexpectedly turned the conversation to her appearance. “And then he looked at me and said, ‘You know, you should get fillers for your laugh lines.’Although she laughed off the comment at the time, Kalki admitted that it bothered her deeply. “So I remember seeing something from inside, but I tried to make a joke out of it. But I also gave him a stern look. And after that he stopped and didn’t talk about it. But it’s just these ways people have. It’s just these subtle ways people slip into comments like that.”When asked by Lilly Singh if she regretted not confronting the producer more directly, Kalki said she didn’t. Instead, she transformed the experience into a story for her stage show “I’m Okay,” which explores the experiences of motherhood and postpartum.“I included that story in the performance and it really resonates with women. They know exactly what I’m talking about,” she said.Explaining why she chose not to react immediately, Kalki noted that not all situations allow for direct confrontation. “Forget about work. We have people in our family that we disagree with politically. We have to have dinner with them. We have to hear them say something we might not agree with. And we swallow our food and move on because you have to pick your battles.”He added that while some conversations can be addressed later privately, that option isn’t always available. “There are places where you can let it out. And there are places where now is not the time. Maybe in a private situation you could talk to this uncle and say, “Hey, I was a little upset when you said that about women or politics or whatever.” But there are also situations where you can’t.”During the conversation, Kalki also discussed the gender pay gap in the entertainment industry, saying it can be disheartening to discover that men with similar experience are being paid significantly higher salaries. “Of course, with the pay, you realize you’ve been in the industry as long as your colleague, a male colleague, but they’re paid a lot more and have been paid the same amount for the last few years.“She explained that many women in the industry now depend on each other by openly discussing salaries, production houses and work experiences. “I have a really strong community of girls and we are a strong group. We talk about everything there and share what the productions do, how much they charge, what they do.”According to Kalki, these conversations also help women identify unsafe work environments and individuals. “‘Be careful with this one. He’s a fool.’ So that’s also another way that women have always had. I think, you know, we call it gossip, but it’s really a kind of solidarity. It’s community. It’s having each other’s backs and being aware.”She concluded by saying that this support helps women make informed decisions before signing projects. “And even if you decide you’re working with something you don’t fully agree with, but you know what’s going to happen because people have been telling you what it is, you’re prepared for it. It makes a big difference.”Kalki Koechlin made her acting debut with ‘Dev D’ in 2009 and has since won accolades for her performances in films like ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’, ‘Margarita with a Straw’, ‘Waiting’ and ‘Gully Boy’.