All of these seem so surreal sometimes,” says the chirpy 27-year-old. In a free-wheeling interview, she talks to CS about her first dance performance, fitness and family. Tapping her toes I enjoy dancing in real life. Obviously, I was a little nervous because it was the first time I was dancing on stage. My choreographer and background dancers were very supportive. I feel that it is good to be nervous before a live performance because your nervous energy shows itself on stage (laughs). A weighty issue As an actor, fitness is important for me. I want to look pretty as well. I am a huge foodie but I have controlled myself since I joined Bollywood. I want directors to visualise me in different characters, and hence want to get fitter. However, I don’t feel the need to look like a model. Actresses with fuller bodies like Vidya Balan and Sonakshi Sinha are quite sought-after; people want real actors nowadays.

I feel that when people have nothing else to talk about, they talk about weight. Disciplined approach I have definitely become a more disciplined person after joining Bollywood. You have to be disciplined and manage time well in order to avoid stress. Life can be chaotic at times. The industry is very deadline-oriented and people expect a lot from you. I have learnt to be more organised and my multi-tasking skills have improved considerably. We are family My family is quite loud, emotional, affectionate and dramatic. So, you can say that we are kind of filmi. However, that’s where our connection with films end. My parents always felt that becoming an actor was very tough, especially for outsiders.

They get amused when they think that both their son (actor Saqib Saleem) and daughter have entered into Bollywood and are doing fairly well. In fact, now they feel that if their kids could become actors, anyone can. Endless ambitions I consider myself fortunate to have worked with actors like Rishi Kapoor, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Irrfan so early in my career. All of them are sheer powerhouses of talent. When you work with such people, you are not only inspired to deliver better but also feel a greater sense of responsibility not to let anyone down. I got to learn a lot about the craft from them. Talking about dream roles, there are many. Right now, I am itching for a good comedy film and a biopic. I want to work with the best of directors in the industry. Ahh, the wish is endless.