You had more scenes opposite Shah Rukh Khan in Main Hoon Na than Sushmita Sen. A heady feeling, right?Oh, a big high. To be honest, Sushmita had a special appearance. Didn’t you wish you were paired opposite Shah Rukh?I was extremely clear about my role. Farah Khan told me I was not cast opposite SRK but with him. I consider myself a Gen Next actor. I’ve grown up watching SRK’s films, and am intelligent enough to know that SRK and I are not going to look good as romantic leads. The audience has also become discerning and find a mismatch in the young-girl-older-hero theme. In Deewar you worked with Akshaye Khanna. Is he as reserved as he’s made out to be?Well, I don’t really know if he’s reserved or not because I had very little work with him. I don’t think the ice was ever really broken. But sometimes he would sit and chat with me which was really sweet of him. He’s been very professional. Your seduction number Piya Bawri looks more like a dance number, right?I know. In the film, I play a very shy girl who has absolutely no alternative but to seduce the guy whose attention she’s trying to attract. But I know it hardly looks like a seduction song, but has a very innocent and cute touch to it. I can’t help it. I project whatever is in my mind. I am a little shy about all these things. Is it true you mercilessly tease Shahid Kapoor about Kareena Kapoor’s recent comment—that she would claw the eyes of any heroine who got too close to Shahid?(Chuckles) It’s not true. I do tease Shahid but not about Kareena at all. Any co-star you just have to work with?Aamir Khan. I know I won’t look right as his leading lady but I can’t help looking my age. In this industry your screen age matters more than your actual age. If a heroine is 24 years old and has done 18 films, they are going to call her 28. But still, I just want any role opposite Aamir Khan. We hear Zayed Khan is really protective of you?Zayed and I get along famously. He has very good manners. He is a thorough gentleman. If he sees me carrying a bag at the airport, he’ll come and take it from me. Not many guys do that. Is it true your father Deepak Rao is a magician?No, he is not a magician but gives lectures on mind and communication. You can say he is into the magic of the mind.
