Lara Dutta is back after an extended holiday in Goa and Australia - a much needed break to spend sometime with herself. “It was a fantastic holiday and very well deserved too. I did a bit of yoga and a lot of meditation - it was sheer luxury,” she says.

The time alone has also helped her fine tune her priorities. Just three years since she debuted in Bollywood, but Lara says she’s learnt many lessons already. “Earlier, I used to take everyone’s advice. Now, after having worked with the likes of Karan Johar (in ‘Kaal’), I know I want a great atmosphere to work in,” she says.

Playing the damsel-in-distress is something else she would like to avoid. “I don’t want to take on roles out of desperation. I’ve never been the kind to dig my nails in and hang on desperately. At the end of the day, I want to be happy that I’ve done some good work in the industry.”

Lara says she doesn’t believe in hyping herself just for the heck of it. “I know there are many actors around who survive on hype. I am, however, not one of them. I have never had this sense of urgency to make it to the top. I do not believe in the number crunching game either. I’m just enjoying the process of being a part of the industry and I want to get the best out of it.”

On the personal front, she seems to have gotten the best out of her relationship with boyfriend Kelly Dorji. Their seven-year courtship is much-envied. “There is no formula for the success of our relationship. And I don’t want to analyse it too much. But I am lucky and grateful to have him in my life.”

- DnaIndia.com