Kalki Koechlin

OT: You grew up in Pondicherry. Is there a place in that city you find yourself returning to?

Kalki Koechlin: Probably the Sri Aurobindo Ashram Samadhi — not because I’m very spiritual, but because it’s so peaceful. Sometimes I sit there and read a book.

OT: Growing up, what were your holidays like?

Kalki Koechlin: We used to go to Goa for Christmas. I have memories of sailing there with my parents. We also did a lot of trekking in Mudumalai, spied on elephants, swum in lakes.

OT: Besides Pondicherry, do you have a favourite city in India?

Kalki Koechlin: Well, apart from Mumbai, which doesn’t count because it’s home, I really love Mysore for its people and its history; it has an old-world charm about it.

OT: Pet haunt in Mumbai?

Kalki Koechlin: blueFROG. I’m always desperate for live music.

OT: Has marriage affected the way you holiday? Are you both inclined towards similar kinds of experiences?

Kalki Koechlin: I think I’ve converted him [filmmaker Anurag Kashyap] to travel to more adventurous destinations. Previously, his idea of a holiday was a film festival — a marathon of films; never seeing the light of day. Now, we go scuba diving, climb mountains, read books in isolated havens…

OT: Are you both foodies?

Kalki Koechlin: Yes we are. I think top of our list is London because it’s just so diverse when it comes to cuisines from around the world. We also love Kashmiri food.

OT: Places on your wishlist — both in the country and abroad?

Kalki Koechlin: In India, I’ve not travelled much to the east. Assam, I’d love to visit. And overseas, South America because of its heritage, the Inca civilization in Peru, for example, and Japan, for its vibrant, advanced culture.

OT: Your all-time favourite movies that draw the best out of the locations they were shot in?

Kalki Koechlin: I’d pick Dances with Wolves, which shows the American plains to full advantage and Vicky Cristina Barcelona, shot in Spain.

OT: Any travel disasters? Your worst trip?

Kalki Koechlin: Hmmm…I went to Thailand with my mum and got fleeced. We paid a lot of money in advance for a guided bus tour. What a way to waste Thailand — in a bus full of tourists!

OT: Are you a shopper?

Kalki Koechlin: I’m a bad shopper. I get impatient. But I do like vintage stores and antiques.

OT: The best travel advice…

Kalki Koechlin: I don’t follow guide books. I like to get in touch with locals instead and take the road less travelled.

OT: Five things you always pack?