After Robot with Rajnikanth, and Action Replayy with Akshay Kumar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will be seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Guzaarish with Hrithik Roshan. Sreya Basu in conversation.

What are your expectations from Guzaarish?
It's a very, very special film because a very special team worked for an extremely passionate piece of art. It had been a tremendous effort, but everyone worked tirelessly...that's the only kind of work you are known to do with Sanjay (Leela Bhansali).

You smoked in Guzaarish. Was it easy or difficult for you?
(Giggles) Have you seen it in the trailer where I get choked while smoking? That speaks volumes on my smoking.

In your life or career, which is that one thing that you have made maximum guzaarish (request) for?
I love my work (acting) too much. So, I can do anything for one more take...that's what I request for most of the times...'One more time please'.

Guzaarish is your third film with Sanjay (after Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam and Devdas)...
Yes. I am lucky to work with him for the third time. Each experience with him has been exceedingly special, but Guzaarish is extra special...it's a beautiful piece of cinema and we are extremely proud of it.

What's wonderful is that Sanjay and me have a connection where we are very talkative with each other; at the same time, we are brilliant at sharing silences.

Through silences, we communicate so much that nobody on the sets understands it. The connection between Sanjay and me, is very, very special... creatively...for both of us; and very fulfilling.

Out of the three films you did with Sanjay, which one is your favourite?
Sanjay has always given strong characters to me. Take Nandini (from Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam). Sanjay introduces her as the five elements put together. What an introduction and insight into the character! And then, the journey of life she undertakes.

For a new actor, I got to explore such an arch in a character. As for Paro (in Devdas)...by the way, Sanjay always calls me Parvati; he always says 'She is Parvati for me'.

Paro has a different level of intensity. I got to emotionally rediscover the character. Guzaarish's Sophia is different from Nandini and Paro in the sense that in this film, Sanjay has used my silences immensely.

Sanjay's films are known to be poetical, something not for general public. What do you have to say on that?
Sanjay makes intense films...be it the moments or the music or lyrics...he makes poetical cinema. Like, in Guzaarish, he described life as a cup of coffee. But he makes all his films receptive.

It's your third film with Hrithik Roshan as well (after Dhoom and Jodha Akbar).
Nothing can be better if two actors get a chance to act in films back-to-back, yet give something different to the audience each time, so that they don't feel 'arre abhi abhi toh saw them together'. Same happened to me and Hrithik.

After spending so many years in Bollywood, how will you rate yourself as an actor?
I am still a student. I am always my director's student. They are my gurus (teachers). I feel blessed to have worked with all big directors and actors in the industry.