Ileana D’cruz Said. I feel that every six months when something unfair happens.

Did you feel like quitting at any point during this time? Ha, a lot of times. I feel that every six months when something unfair happens. But you go on with it because I love it. I don’t know anything else. I don’t have a job that I can take and I definitely don’t want to take up a job in a meat shop again. I get up, work hard on my acting and look for projects just so that I don’t have to go back to a small basement in Canada or any other country.

Ileana D’Cruz spoke about why she does not feature in paparazzi photos, and why she prefers to stay away from ‘pap culture’. The actor added she ‘tried doing the whole PR thing’, but it didn’t work for her.

Ileana D’Cruz was asked about ‘her disappearing act’ in a new interview, when the actor said she ‘hated it’ when people said that about her. Ileana said she has not ‘vanished’ and was ‘right here’, but unlike many celebs, she was not ‘getting papped’ all the time. Ileana also shared why she doesn’t think ‘paparazzi culture’ is for her.

Ileana, who is reportedly dating Katrina Kaif’s brother Sebastian, has been away from films for some time. She was last seen in Abhishek Bachchan’s The Big Bull (2021). However, the actor often shares glimpses of her life – from holidays to posts from her shoots – on social media. In a recent interview, she opened up about not ‘getting papped’, working on a lot of projects, but ‘doing it very quietly with her head down’.

When asked about ‘her disappearing act’, Ileana told The Times of India, “I hate it when people say that! I don’t vanish! I am right here. You don’t see me getting papped, because I don’t share my whereabouts. I did get the taste of the pap culture a while ago, but I realised it wasn’t meant for me. It’s not who I am, and I think it’s completely okay to be different. I have been working and have finished shooting a lot of good work. So, yes, I have been doing good work, but doing it very quietly with my head down.”

Ileana also shared if she fears being overlooked by filmmakers since she rarely makes public appearances, apart from red carpet or film events. She said, “I would be lying if I said, ‘Oh, I don’t think about it’. Of course, I do. I even gave it a shot. I tried doing the whole PR thing, thinking I needed to be seen more. But at the end of the day, I didn’t really see too much of a difference. It’s all about the personal equation you share with people (filmmakers). Producers and directors like to know their actors a little more. So, I like meeting people who are like-minded and who I want to work with. That’s the route I have taken. When I am working, that becomes my priority, and once I am done with it, I switch off for a bit and spend time with my family. I feel that’s a good balance to have because I am not someone who can just work 24/7.”

Ileana made her Bollywood debut in 2012 with Barfi, co-starring Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. She went on to appear in films such as Phata Poster Nikla Hero, Main Tera Hero and Rustom. She will be next seen in Tera Kya Hoga Lovely, with Randeep Hooda.