A: It's been very exciting. I am full of appreciation for the great opportunity I got to touch so many lives. At the same time, I am becoming aware of the expectations from me to do the very best work.
Q: You have been appreciated by the audience, including parents, so are you content now?
A: I am one of those people who find rest in activity or contentment in constant search. I am far from content...my journey has just begun.
Q: Tell us about the journey of TZP?
A: It was a most beautiful and creative time where all energies were synchronized to make this incredible film possible!
Q: How did you get this role?
A: In the most classical way! I got a call and went for an audition. I did my best and got the part.
Q: What kind of preparation did you do for Maya Awasthi?
A: There were many workshops and readings with the entire cast. Beyond that I trained with Feroz Abbas Khan and Naseerudin Shah much before I signed the film. I have also done a lot of theatre.
Q: Were not you apprehensive initially about your role? There were chances that your role might get unnoticed?
A: I had no such thoughts. And while doing any work I never think of anything besides doing the job to the best of my ability.
Q: You played a mother in TZP, what feelings were you going through off-screen?
A: We were all like a bunch of kids hanging out and having fun. I got on very well with the kids. Darsheel taught me UNO and several games on his Gameboy. We had lots of fun playing table tennis in Panchghani!
Q: Aamir Khan, who is known to be a hard taskmaster, must have been strict to you at times. So tell us about one such incident.
A: Not really... But you know I am good at my job so maybe he didn't have reason to be strict!
Q: Are you looking forward to working with Aamir again?
A: It would be a pleasure!
Q: Tell us about the films which are in your kitty at present?
A: I am doing Nandita Das's film ‘In Such Times' and am reading several scripts at the moment.
Q: Your career has come a full circle now; as you are there from where you had started (started doing films as Priya Arora and is back to films with a bang now). So how your whole trip like?
A: I have enjoyed the whole process a lot. To me the joy has been in learning so much from life. And of course I met some splendid people on the way.
Q: What is keeping you busy these days?
A: I am reading a lot of scripts, meeting directors for narrations, doing some writing work and also planning to start building my farmhouse in Karjat sometime this year.
Q: Are you looking forward to awards this year?
A: I never expected to be nominated, let alone win an award. It is fun, but I never can take all this too seriously.
When I won the Max Stardust Readers' Choice Award for the Best Supporting Actor, I saw my parents faces and it was then that I realized how much they enjoyed and that made me very happy!
Q: Many ace directors like Karan Johar have appreciated you for your outstanding performance. Do you see any possibilities of working with them?
A: I met Karan at a party recently and he told me that he enjoyed the film and my work. He has made some lovely films and it would be a pleasure to work with directors like him.
He has made so many outstanding films that I myself have watched as a member of the audience. Truly the reaction from the industry has been thrilling!