Sushmita Sen is an Indian actress who is happily a single mother of two daughters! #WomenPower! Today, November 19th, is her birthday, and we’d like to wish her by celebrating her life!

1. On Being Courted by Another Woman

“I’d say, ‘thank you’. Another human being likes you, what’s wrong with that? How far they like you is again, their problem, not yours. That woman has made a choice of being with another woman, I have made mine to be with a man. It’s just a difference in our sexual preferences. Doesn’t mean one is acceptable and the other is appalling. Absolutely not!”

2. On Children and Marriage

If the need arises and my heart doesn’t agree with it (marriage), I will have children without getting married.”

3. On The Status of Women

“Just being a woman is God’s gift. The origin of a child is a mother, a woman. She shows a man what sharing, caring, and loving is all about. That is the essence of a woman.”

4. On Sexism in the Film Industry

“It used to be an industry where actresses were considered props – maybe a vase on the sideboard. Now at last, the vase has reached the centre table.”

5. On Self-Empowerment

“I don’t need a man in my life to have diamonds. I can own them myself.”

6. On Marriage

I don’t think I should walk with the system. Our society has made this system that get graduate at 18, by 22 start panicking to get married and by 27 have your first child. I don’t believe in that…