by Subhash K Jha

The first screening of Vikram Bhatt's life and career-changing youth flick Life Mein Kabhi Kabhie was held. And the verdict was unanimous. Sammir Dattani had finally come into his own.

Says Vikram Bhatt, "When I met him for the complex role I wasn't sure he could deliver because of his chocolate looks.

But the minute I narrated the role to him I saw the conviction in his eyes. And now everyone who has seen the film is blown away by his performance. To discover talent like this is very fulfilling for a director. The last time I discovered substantial talent it was Malini who played the ghost in Raaz!"

Compliments on his performance have Sammir more relieved than happy. "I've waited very long for this. Vikram thinks LMK2 is my re-launch then we have a lot to celebrate.

I worked really hard on perfecting the body language and the spoken language of the young politician that I play in LMK2.

Vikram and I bonded really well, partly because we share the same birthday, and also because he seems to have understood my personality and tapped it well." says Sammir whose new Kannada film Sajini is a success.

What about a chunk of his role being chopped off? "That's okay. All of us in the cast had to lose a part of our role for the betterment of the film. What's more important is Life Mein Kabhi Kabhie really holds together. I think this Vikram's best film to date."

Adds Sammir, "And this must be the first ensemble cast where there were absolutely no ego hassles among the actors. Dino and Aftab are an integral part of Vikram's cinema. But I was never made to feel like an outsider.

We all have equal roles in Life Mein....and we've all worked as a team instead of looking anxiously at one another's team. I think that spirit of camaraderie will show in the film."

Most memorable moments during shooting. "When I did a very emotional scene and Vikram hugged me spontaneously. So many of the feelings I was required to portray here were so alien to me. Jealousy, scheming, manipulation are things I've never encountered in real life."

Sammir missed having a leading lady in Life Mein Kabhi Kabhie, though. "We did shoot a romantic portion. But it didn't gell with my desperately lonely character."