People call me the Khallas girl even today: Isha Koppikar

Isha Koppikar, who was in Jaipur recently for an event marking International Women’s Day, was greeted with loud chants of ‘Khallas girl’. With a big smile, Isha shares, “Honestly, it still gives me a kick. Khallas was such a moment for everyone! When that song released (2002), the response was just insane. Even today, people tell me, ‘Oh my God, you’re the Khallas girl!’ It’s not something every actor gets to experience. It’s really flattering. That one song became larger than life, and I think it captured something very raw and bold at that time. I own it completely and I always will.”

‘You can tell real stories on OTT’

Isha, who has done south and Bollywood films, plus OTT projects like Suranga, says, “Each space has taught me something completely different. Down south, the scale, energy and dedication on the sets is something else. I learned so much about discipline and craft there. Bollywood gave me the platform, recognition, and madness of it all. I loved every bit of that journey, both the highs and lows. And now, on OTT, the content is so fearless. You can tell real stories, complex stories, without worrying about fitting it into two-and-a-half hours. As an actor, that freedom is everything. Every platform has added a new layer to me, and I genuinely embrace all of it.”

‘Got into politics as I wanted to make a difference’

Isha, who joined a political party in 2019, says, “For me, it was about genuinely wanting to contribute. I’m not someone who got into it for glamour or power. I felt I could use my voice to make a difference, especially for women and for issues that really matter at the ground level. Am I actively into it right now? I’d say I’m always engaged. I care deeply about what’s happening around me and I will always speak up when I need to. Whether that translates into a more formal role going forward, let’s see. But the intent is always real.”

‘Women don’t just survive difficult times, they transform through them’




Isha strongly believes that personal struggles shape a woman and her life struggles made her what she is today. “I think struggle is the greatest teacher, it teaches you more than any guru or any book. There were moments in my life and career where things were not easy, where I had to fight hard just to hold my ground. It’s painful and you question yourself. But looking back, all those moments built something in me —resilience, clarity, a sense of self that I won’t have found otherwise. I am who I am today not in spite of my struggles but very much because of them. And I think that’s true for most women. We don’t just survive difficult times, we transform through them.”

‘Fitness is therapy for me’

Isha, who is a fitness freak and loves making reels with her daughter, shares, “Fitness is non-negotiable for me. It is my therapy, my sanity, my everything. If I don’t work out, you really don’t want to be around me. And the reels with my daughter are my favourite moments to capture because she’s just so spontaneous and fun. She doesn’t care about the camera at all and that energy is so infectious. As for managing everything at once, I think as women, we are just wired to multitask. But honestly, it’s about prioritising. I’ve learned to be very intentional about my time. Family first, health first, and everything else falls into place around that.”Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”