Mahira Khan Quotes

I didn't think, 'I want to do dramas or I want to do comedies' - I wasn't clear in that way.

Most of the offers I get from Hollywood are for teen comedies. My manager thinks I'm crazy for turning down all that money, but I'm very picky.

I never really planned a career. I've tried to avoid it. I've tried to do this stuff I felt for, the stuff I like. So, I've just been meeting these fantastic directors who've offered me a variation of different parts and different films.

If I could really move my career much more into predominantly directing, I would jump at that.

My dream was to play in good films, no matter in what country. I always waited for a decent script, and nothing has changed. I'm just sure that nothing in life is random, and I believe in the fate which guides you. Probably my starring in 'A Good Day to Die Hard' is good proof of that.

I'd much rather turn down a starring role in a bad picture and do a small role in a very good picture.

I decided in my late teens that I wanted to be an actor, and my dad and I agreed that films were better. I work alongside my dad, you see. I've thought that films were better since I was a kid.

After I do a big movie I get offered big movies. But I always do the weirdest indie.

I've been doing mostly independent films, and things like 'Goal' give me a chance to have more options.

I only made two studio movies, that was a long time ago and obviously I removed myself. I think some of that is geographical. I live in New York and I want to work there, it's as simple as that.

I'm still reading some scripts and I model as well, so I'm still doing that. But I don't want to do like just anything so we're being really selective about the stuff I'll do.

When I got out of school, I didn't really understand the differences in the different aspects of the business. For example, doing a play - where does that take you versus, you know, concentrating on independent films? You might have one thing in your head, but the things you're doing don't really lead down the right road, necessarily.

I've been offered a few movies lately, but I don't want to do a movie just for the sake of saying, 'Oh, boy! There's popcorn involved in this.'

I'm not in a 'starry' position to be able to pick and choose, but I am interested in telling stories of substance with great directors - that's my only guiding principle.

There's a lot to be said for women who want to focus primarily on acting. Other women, on the other hand, aspire to combine their work in acting with other ventures in fashion, business, directing, writing, producing, etc. It's a very personal decision.

I don't want to go to Bollywood just to prove I've worked there.

I didn't really think of Hollywood or doing an action movie just because it was not something that I had in mind or that I thought was possible.

I had got a couple of offers for appearances in films, but I didn't want to be a part of any film just for the sake of it.

I had an acting career for a little while back in the '90s. I had gotten into that because I was interested in acting, but I was not really as centered as I needed to be to fully pursue that career, and I was doing some films I thought were not of the best quality.

Acting was always there in my mind, but I never tried too hard to take it up. I had to pay my bills, so I did whatever came my way. Music happened first, so I took it up quite passionately.

My father told me, "Don't do anything that would bring shame to the family." I was always mindful of that. When I told him I wanted to pursue a career as an actor, my father said, "Look at what you see on television at the movies, is that what you want to be doing? Do you want to make a life out of that?" And I said, "Daddy, I'm going to change it".

Today what is more important for me is performance. At the risk of sounding immodest, I have done it all - 61 movies over 12 years. But now I am looking for quality. It's easy to be a star. Now I want to be an actress.

I love acting and will take all the time to continue to act. But sometimes I'd like to try my hand at directing.

The announcement that I was going to be an actor was made when was I was 10 years old. And that didn't go down all that well, but I had a lot of years to butter up my parents. My parents have mellowed quite a bit, but, growing up, there was a sense that the only real professions were doctor, engineer, lawyer. Those were your choices.

It's not like you do 'SNL' and then get handed movie roles. You work, you audition for stuff and try to get it. I think, a lot of people, it's the goal to be in movies or just to be working in general. But yeah, some of us get lucky and get some movie roles, and it's nice.