Lisa Ray says she does not like being boxed into a certain identity and this is why being known as a sex symbol at the age of 16 still haunts her.

The actor, who released her memoir "Close to the Bone", hopes people will understand her better after reading about her journey.

"I hate to be labelled and put into boxes but I had to deal with it since a young age because I was a sex symbol at the age of 16. It was completely unanticipated.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Because it’s the first, I hope you will indulge my hubris in posting a video from the launch event in Mumbai of @closetothebone.book @olivemumbai @harpercollinsin Thank you- THANK YOU - everyone who came out last night, and all the readers who honour the book with your attention. It’s long. It’s heartfelt. It’s a bit of everything, light and shadow. It’s my dream come true to publish my words. Cheers to manifesting our desires and longings. Special thanks to my special friend @dipikablacklist for not only styling me beautifully but also stepping in to help organize the venue 🙏🏼 Wearing @stephanydsouza @perniaspopupshop Shoes @veruschkashoes Earrings @vasundharajewelry Makeup @pallavisymons (special thanks!) Hair @sams_salonspa

A post shared by lisaraniray (@lisaraniray) on May 27, 2019 at 9:08pm PDT

"To suddenly become this figure for an entire nation and on top of that, to look much older, that has haunted me my entire life up until now," she told reporters.

The model-actor, who overcame multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells, said the book should not be read just as a cancer memoir because it gives a glimpse into her journey right from the beginning of her fame.

"A lot of people will understand how I have this ambivalent relationship with my career, how I am an accidental actress, how I always had one foot in and one foot out of it and how I believe that I have been underestimated only because of the way I look. Although, I don't believe they shouldn't be at odds with each other." 

The Indo-Candian actor, 47, said while at the peak of her career, she was grappling through a personal tragedy as her mother had met with an accident, leaving her wheelchair-bound.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

🎉 Mom wrote a book 🎉 #didnotaskmychildtopose #shesareaderinthemaking

A post shared by lisaraniray (@lisaraniray) on May 21, 2019 at 5:48am PDT

"I understood at a very young age - I was 16 then - that all the aspects that you call success -- name, fame and money -- they don't solve the questions of the soul.

"So, my ambitions became different. My goal wasn't to become famous. That explains a lot of my choices, all the projects I said no to because I really understood that my answers were not waiting at the end of it." 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Repost from @hdfclife using @RepostRegramApp - When life gives you lemons run to your mother...here's to every woman who has evolved and transformed every situation for the better, always. Constraining this ability to just a single day is not enough, but gives us a reason to celebrate. Model, Actor, Fighter, Survivor; Lisa Ray has been addressed in multiple ways, she has now chartered into a whole new territory as a Mother and a Writer. The mother to twin daughters pens down her journey in her book - Close To The Bone. Participate in the Mother's Day contest. Tag your mom in the comment, share your story and get your hands on an autographed copy of the book. . . . . . . . . . . #happymothersday #closetothebone #contest #contestalert #mothersday #motherhood #contestgiveaway #lisaray #instacontest #bookstagram

A post shared by lisaraniray (@lisaraniray) on May 12, 2019 at 8:40am PDT


Lisa, who featured in films like "Water" and "Kasoor", said a part of her would have been "extinguished" by "conforming to mainstream standards.
The actor said "Close to the Bone", published by Harper Collins, may have begun as a starting point to talk about her disease but it gave her a chance to talk about her life.

 

"I do cover my cancer experiences but that come much later. Having said that, cancer was the launching pad for writing this memoir because initially that's why I was approached to write this...

"When I sat down and thought about it, I realised that I couldn't write about my disease in isolation from the rest of my life because everything is connected with what came before.