/> After making a 12-minute film entitled Positive on AIDS for Mira Nair for the Bill Gates Foundation Farhan Akhtar has done an ad for a German watch company.

"It isn't my first ad," Farhan informs. "During Dil Chahta Hai I had done an ad for drink called Slice. And I worked as assistant in an ad agency for three years."

Speaking on his AIDS film Farhan says, "It was tough fitting my story into such a short duration. And my film is 16 ½ minutes when the brief was for 12 minutes. My consolation is that all the films in the series have crossed 12 minutes."

Farhan recalls the moment. "Mira called me to say she'd like me to do one of her AIDS film. I immediately said yes. But the thing was, by the time Mira asked me to contribute, her other AIDS films with Vishal Bharadwaj, Santosh Sivan and herself were already into production.

So certain aspects of the AIDS issue was already being dealt with.I had to quickly think of something new. I chose to do a film on how important it is for the family to support an HIV positive."

Farhan's leading man in the AIDS film is a newcomer called Arjun Mathur. "He's a friend who has done another short film and a lot of advertisement work."

More interestingly Farhan gets to work with Shabana for the first time. "I had to be very careful about what I approached her with.

I knew if I went to her with something she didn't approve of, she'd straightaway tell me to buzz off, regardless of our relationship. I didn't want her to be in that position where she might have to say no."

Farhan says it was no different on the sets working with Shabana and the other members of the cast. "In fact we got a little zyada hi professional. She told me to relax.

And she does have a calming effect on not just the director but also all the other actors. She really helped Arjun get comfortable. She worked with the mood and line of his scenes."

Shabana's spouse in the film is played by Boman Irani. "I've been comfortable working with him in Lakshya and Don. He has terrific understanding of story and screenplay. He'd just drop in at the office anytime to discuss scenes."

Farhan has seen the other films in the AIDS series. "I like the visual style of Vishal Bhardawaj's Blood Brothers very much. And Santosh Sivan' s Sankalp is very sweet. The kind of support Santosh got from the biggest stars in the South, is really commendable."

Farhan's sister Zoya has written Mira Nair's film in the series.

Says Farhan. "Zoya's story Migration says AIDS can strike anyone, regardless of social strata. It feels good to be part of a bouquet of films that deals with such a serious issue. And that too with such accomplished directors as my colleagues."