Bollywood films are a lot of fun,"Hilary Swank"

Hilary Swank has spoken out in praise of Bollywood as a chief guest at the International Indian Film Academy Awards.

The Oscar-winning star had been invited by Anil Kapoor to attend the event in Toronto, DNA reports.
Swank announced: "Both India and Toronto have a special place in my heart. I am too happy to be here. I just love the films that you guys make and that's the reason why I wanted to be a part of this function. It's a kind of a new experience for me."

The Boys Don't Cry star spoke about the power that cinema has for social change and acceptance.
Swank explained: "I think Indian cinema and Hollywood will bring people together. Bollywood has been bringing two worlds together. It's a great thing. I believe in the motto of 'one world, one people'. India has always held a very special place in my heart.

"I love all kinds of cinema and from all countries. I think Bollywood films are a lot of fun and are passionate."
The actress was complimented at the awards show by Shah Rukh Khan for using the Hindi greeting 'Namaste'.Peter Andre was previously invited to attend and perform at the 2009 IIFA Awards.

Swank wasn't allowed to play with other kids as a poor child

Hilary Swank, whose worth may now be 40-million dollars, was not allowed to play with other children when she was a kid as she belonged to a poor family.

The Oscar-winning actress revealed that she was isolated from other kids in her neighborhood because other parents didn't like the fact she lived in a trailer park.

"I had a roof over my head and my mom worked hard to make sure there was food on the table, but the parents of the neighborhood kids wouldn''t let them play with me. They would tell them, 'It''s time to come in' if they were with me, or if I was at their houses, it would be, 'Hilary you need to leave', " the Daily Telegraph quoted Swank as saying.

She said she didn't understand the prejudice some people held about her living arrangement when she was younger.

"I didn''t understand because I didn''t know there was this kind of stereotype about people who live in trailer parks and I look back now at those parents who were in their mid-30s - the age I am now- and I think, 'How could you do that to a child?' said the 'Million Dollar Baby' star.

The 36-year-old beauty doesn''t regret her past because it means she doesn''t rely on material possessions.

"I do drive a nice car, but that doesn''t make me who I am. I don''t need those things to feel complete, or feel like I belong. People ask me if I would change my past if I could and I never would, because it made me so grateful for what I have today," she added.

Hilary Swank 'struggles to gain weight'

Hilary Swank has revealed that she struggles to gain weight.

The actress was required to put on 15lbs for her role in the drama Conviction but admitted that she had to more than double her caloric intake and stop working out to achieve the task.

"I personally have difficulty keeping weight on, and for this role I had to add 15lbs. My character, a single mum, hadn't any opportunity to stay fit," she explained to the New York Post.

"For my own needs, I like working out. But to gain weight I stopped that. Besides, this was an independent film. Small budget. We filmed long hours, long days. No time to work out."

Swank added: "Normally I only eat until I'm full. On this shoot, I kept eating more. Even when I was full, I'd eat more. With nowhere to go, the weight stays on you."