After two back-to-back successes Jannat 2 and Raaz 3 — there is news that Esha Gupta’s next, Prakash Jha’s Chakravyuh, might not get her all the visibility she is expecting. Apart from actors Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpai and Abhay Deol, the film also stars a new face, Anjali Patil. And insiders from the production house claim that Esha’s role as an IPS officer may not be able to score over Anjali’s portrayal of a Maoist activist in the film.

Esha, however, argues that her character, who is also Arjun’s onscreen wife, doesn’t lose steam. “It is a very strong character and it wasn’t easy for me to play,” she says, adding that Anjali’s rustic role and performance, which have already become a talking point in the industry, do not disturb her at all. “Anjali is a great actor. I couldn’t have done what she has done,” says the model-turned-actor. She adds, “You can’t choose a role when you are getting to work with Prakash sir at such an early stage in your career. This may not be a film for everyone, but even if you are in it for a minute, the role does make a difference to the film. The length of the part does not matter.”

With two successful films behind her, the actor has only just begun to enjoy recognition. “It hasn’t sunk in as yet. I had my first stint with stardom recently, when I decided to surprise my family by attending a relative’s wedding in Delhi. Suddenly, everyone started attending to me, praising my work and clicking pictures with me,” she says.