Calling her 'humane and down to earth', actor Irrfan says his 'Jazbaa' co-star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is much more than what media perceives about the actress.

Irrfan, 48, who is currently shooting the Sanjay Gupta-directed action-thriller with the 41-year-old former Miss World, feels she is a director's actor.

"Aish is a discovery for me. Whatever I knew about her was through the media. She is much more than the perception created about her by the media. She is much more humane, down to earth, caring and eager to explore her side to an actor.

"It would be a delight for any director to cast her and give her some challenge, where she feels 'let me do something new, let me do a character'. She is ready to do that. She is very eager to do that. That's what I discovered about her. I had a great time working with her," Irrfan told PTI.


The 'Piku' star said Aishwarya was one of the reasons he signed 'Jazbaa'.

"I chose 'Jazbaa' because it was a whole package... Aishwarya is there and it is a new kind of thriller in a very popular genre," he said.

The first look of 'Jazbaa' will be unveiled at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival by Aishwaryra and Sanjay. The film also stars Shabana Azmi and Anupam Kher.