/> Putting aside all the pssst-pssst about Rani Mukherjee being ostracized from the Bachchan empire because of the supposed hostilities between Aishwarya and Rani, Abhishek in an exclusive tete-a-tete from Namibia where he's shooting for Goldie Behl's Drona, gives Rani a clean and amiable chit.

"Wo says Rani and I are at loggerheads? Such talk hasn't affected our friendship at all. Strangely we've played husband and wife in most of our films together including Hum Tum where I came in, got married to her and exeunted from the script.

Rani is a superb actor and we've done some truly challenging work together. You've too see her in Laga Chunri Mein Daag together.I hope to do many more films with her."

It's not just the pleasure of working with his favourite co-star—alright, second-favourite co-star after wife Aishwarya—that made the latest Abhishek-Rani film special.

"I got to work with mom (Jaya). I had done a cameo in a Bengali as her son. Mom and Pa are two different actors and humanbeings, They're both unique actors. It's a sheer pleasure to share screen space with mom. I hope to do as many films with her as I've done with Pa."

Ask him what's the main difference between working with his two parents, and Abhishek ponders, "In-between shots Pa and I chill out, have fun.

Ma is constantly mothering and fussing over me when the camera is switched off. Though I pretend not to like it I secretly love it."

There was big-time bonding on the sets with co-star Kunal Kapoor. "Kunal and I grew up together. He belongs to the same Juhu circle that I do. He's a terrific guy and an even better actor.

His performance in our new film will surprise a lot of people. I also admire Konkona and got to work with her for the first time.She's great fun."

As for director Pradeep Sarkar, "I did a number of ads with him before I finally got to be in a feature film with him. His zest for his work in unparalleled. I saw no difference in his enthusiasm level on sets of our feature film. I want to work with him again," Abhishek ends from Namibia.

Regretfully he couldn't be in Mumbai for his father's birthday on Thursday.