EXCLUSIVE | Ex-Bollywood Star Somy Ali On Her Love Life, Leaving Fame, Running An NGO & More: We All Have A...

Somy Ali, the former Bollywood actress, has been making headlines for her candid and viral statements. While she has been away from films for decades, she is also an activist and has been running a non-profit organization No More Tears since 2007. In a candid chat, Somy Ali opened up about her love life, moving away from fame, running an NGO, and more. Check excerpts here.

Q - It's always a tough ride to run an NGO especially when you're doing it all on your own. Where do you muster the courage from?

Somy - We all have a purpose in life at least I hope we all do. Mine is to save lives and recently I have been obsessing over my film production company which is intertwined with my writing about real-life atrocities and putting them on the screen. My NGO will always be my first love just live the land is to a soldier and I am willing to give my life if it comes to saving a child from trafficking. As a survivor and my mother being a survivor nothing is more satisfying than saving lives on a daily basis. In fact, I can't think of a better way to go than doing what I do every day. I know there have been nine attacks on me in 17 years and my left wrist is broken in a cast. In spite of that, I initiated this charity knowing fully well about the dangers it brings along with it. I mean 50,232 lives saved is not an easy accomplishment and I am being pompous here. It takes a lot of empathy not sympathy to this 7 days a week. And not one day have I felt like I should stop. If that's not a sign to keep going then I don't what else would make me stop getting out of bed each morning for one purpose and one purpose only.

Q - From so much fame deciding to wrap it all up and go back to starting all over again was that a difficult choice?

Somy - Yes, one minute I was on a set being asked if I wanted tea and the next I was in a line to get groceries back home in America. Difficult is an understatement. I fell into depression for a long time and used education and getting my degrees to divert my mind.

Q - Is Mumbai a city you love or would you stay away from given the memories and incidents?

Somy - It's both given I developed my best friendships there and it's where my father was born and my grandparents, hence, it's my second home. But if you go to a place where everyone is petrified to speak with you or even be in close proximity of you as if I belong to the Taliban then there isn't a point to visit a place where you are unwanted by many. It's so frustrating that it's indescribable. While the other has full control over meeting with your own family no matter where they are. It makes me very uncomfortable and sad.

Q - Is Somy dating anyone or looking for love just yet or is happy being single?

Somy - I have been single for the past four years prior to that I was in a live-in relationship for seven years, but we parted ways mutually. It's hard to date when the FBI or the Police Departments are calling your phone at 3 am asking you to come and help. If I date again it has to be someone who is compassionate and understanding about my reasons for existing. Plus my mom would always say never date an actor because my father was a filmmaker so I dated a lawyer for seven years. Infidelity is not correlated to one's profession but rather one's moral compass and their ethics. So I am a skeptical about the infidelity aspect. Yes, you can say I am jaded and have major trust issues. Anyone with my experiences would be mentally unwell if they did not have those concerns. Trust me.