Actors can't be role models for every issue: Kalki Koechlin

New Delhi: Bollywood actress Kalki Koechlin, who is known for speaking her mind, says one of the drawbacks of being a popular face is that people expect you to take a stand on various social and political issues. She says people should realize that celebrities can't be expected to be role models and should only be appreciated for their craft.

"The biggest drawback is the idea that people think that you always have an important comment on everything. For example, sometimes people will ask me about some new law that has been passed or on surrogacy. They don't understand that I need to do research on such topics to comment," Kalki told IANS in an interview.

"The fact that we are supposed to comment on every political and historical moment that has happened is very unfair. We are actors and we are good in performing characters and imbibing them. We should be appreciated for that. Of course, as an artist, there are certain things that we might want to express more than others, but we cannot be the role models for every subject," she added.

The 33-year-old is known for portraying unconventional characters on screen. She ventured into filmdom with the critically-acclaimed "Dev D", where she played a young girl who ends up becoming a prostitute. Later, she did films like "Shaitan", "That Girl In Yellow Boots", "Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara", "My Friend Pinto", "Margarita with a Straw", "Waiting" and more.

It's not just on screen where she has portrayed some powerful roles, but off screen too, she is known for her strong opinions on women's rights and related issues.

Asked if she is not image conscious when she talks about such issues, Kalki said: "I guess not. There are certain subjects which I am confident to talk about because they are close to my heart... Things that I have grown up with and problems that I have faced; so I know how to tackle that.

"It comes from within and I feel confident talking about those issues. (On the other hand) there are other issues which are very important which I can't comment on just because I don't know enough about it," she said.

The actress was in the capital to launch Gillette Venus Breeze, a hair removal product for women along with celebrity make-up artist Namrata Soni and celebrity dermatologist Rashmi Shetty.

Kalki feels money is important for her while selecting brand endorsements, but she has to relate to the ethos too.