Sonali Bendre is no longer part of the rat race. "At the end of the day, you are just a rat," declares the actress.

Post her marriage to director Goldie Behl (Bas Itna Sa Khwaab Hai), Sonali has sorted out her priorities. "I'm not looking at roles to run my kitchen any more. There was a time I signed on a lot of inconsequential films because at that
time, it was important for me to be financially secure. Today, I can pick and choose what I want. And when your bargaining power increases, you realise you have quite a choice in front of you," she reasons.

The actress, excited by her upcoming debut in Marathi cinema, was packing for a one-month outdoor to Hampi, Karnataka, for Amol Palekar's Marathi film Anaahat when Rohini Iyer met her.

Aren't you apprehensive about doing a Marathi film?

Not at all. When I was talking to Amol Palekar about this film, we hadn't decided whether it would be in Hindi or Marathi. I knew one thing for sure -- I wanted to do the film because the script was very exciting.

So when Amol came up with the thought of doing it in Marathi, I was cool with it. It sounded very good in Marathi. Plus Marathi is my mother tongue and I'm very comfortable speaking it.

The thought of being associated with Marathi cinema is very exciting. At the same time, the prospect is daunting. Marathi cinema boasts of an amazing line up of actors. It has a great history attached to it, a great amount of lineage and culture. I just hope I can live up to it.

Does that mean you have cut down on your Hindi film career?

I have cut down on Hindi films, yes. I wasn't getting the kind of films I want to be associated with. Today, it is not about money. Or about any kind of insecurity to be part of the industry. I went through that grind earlier.

Today I have reached a stage where I want to do quality work. 

I get a lot of offers all the time. Thankfully, people even give you bound scripts these days. When I joined the
industry, I had never seen what a bound script looked like.

That still doesn't mean I will sign anything and everything. If I do a Hindi film, it has to be worth my while.

Rumour has it that you have shifted base to the South.

I haven't shifted base to the South. It is just that my South films have done very well. Luckily for me, my South career is going great guns, so I do a film there every year. The shooting time is barely 25-30 days, it is a disciplined way of working, it suits me just fine and I get paid very well.

How are you adapting to marriage?

It feels good. I get to do my own thing. Goldie is the best I could ever ask for. There is no pressure. When he is working long hours in the office, I understand. And when I'm away on outdoors, he never complains. 

He helps me grow and I think it's vice versa.

I'm content, touchwood. Earlier when people used to write about our marriage, I would always tell them, where's the hurry? I'll get married when I feel like it.

Today, I'm married and they are writing about me being pregnant.

Are you?

Where's the hurry, yaar? We have just got married. Give us time!