I am thankful to directors of Luv Shuv..., Ek Thi Dayan and D-Day, who trusted me and offered me their films even before my first film (Gangs...) released I got some costumes stitched which were identical to Madhuri Dixit's from Hum Aaapke Hai Koun..? I still have the pictures with me, which I am planning to get it autographed by Madhuriji, whom I working with in Dedh Ishqiya  Despite having no film connections to boast of, Huma Qureshi has managed to carve a niche for herself in Bollywood. From playing a small-town airhead Mohsina in her debut flick Gangs Of Wasseypur to an intelligent RAW agent, Zoya in D-Day, the actress has come a long way. In a freewheeling chat with Screen, Qureshi recaptures the fascination she had for Bollywood in her childhood, her film journey and her actor, brother Saqib Saleem's entry in films. Excerpts from the interview: You have been applauded for your performances right from your first film. Did you foresee this happening when you started off in the industry? I am happy and grateful that the audience have accepted me so wholeheartedly. I am also glad that I got to work with some great film-makers of the industry right from the beginning.

But I also believe that there is still so much to prove. You started your acting career through theatre. Did you take any formal training in acting before? I haven't taken any training in acting. Whatever I learnt was during theatre at the Act One School in Delhi. Some people say that I got overnight success in Bollywood — straight out of theatre and in films. But come on, theatre was hard work. I spent hours on rehearsals to perfect my acting skills. My daily routine had me going to college, attending lectures and then heading straight to the theatre. Acting in plays help as it lays the foundation. Also, my teacher M.K. Sharma was very encouraging.