The impulsive Ishaan of Kai Po Che says that he doesn’t understand stardom and gets embarrassed when girls fawn over him. Excerpts from an interview with CS. Passion to perform I don't understand stardom. I don't know how to behave like a star, nor do I aspire to be one. I only know that I find it extremely liberating and exciting to perform in front of the camera. I am happy that I am working in films and with directors like Dibakar Banerjee, Raju Hirani and Abhishek Kapoor. This is a magical period for me. Prep time I don't have the intellect to understand the box-office criteria or the commercial aspects of a film. A film that I find engrossing may bomb while a film that seems mediocre to me might go on to become a top grosser. All I knew about Kai Po Che was that it was an honest film and thankfully people loved it too. The film also gave me a deep sense of responsibility to do good work. Right now, I am doing roles which are diametrically different from each other. For an introvert like me, it’s interesting because I get to express myself through my roles. I am deliberately taking two-three months to prepare for each role to do complete justice to it. In the 'director’s' chair I love everything related to a film--be it scripting, direction or cinematography. I have made a few short films earlier. However, I don't understand how to create drama or how to make it entertaining. So, I am not taking the plunge to write a script or get into direction soon. I am working each day and learning the ropes to gain in experience.

Working well I cannot comment on the prejudice against television actors because the industry has been fair to me. The multiplex culture is giving opportunities to showcase varied genres of films. The new prosperous middle class is also open to all kinds of mediums of entertainment. So there is work for every one in the industry, film stars or TV stars. Inspirational touch Working with Aamir Khan in Rajkumar Hirani’s film has been a wonderful experience. His passion is contagious and his attention to detailing is inspiring. Though he's been in the industry for more than 20 years and does not need to prove anything, he still starts from scratch for his every role. Female adulation I feel shy when girls gush over me. Recently, I was in Jaipur for the promotion of my upcoming film. There I met a cute girl who kept on telling me 'Can I touch you?' and 'I love you' which really embarrassed me (laughs).