Abhay Deol is quite pleased with the critical appreciation that has come his way after the release of SOCHA NA THA.

"It was very humbling to know that a lot of people liked and appreciated my performance in the film. I guess the honest reactions from all quarters came in because there were no hyped expectations from me as an actor, other than the fact that I belong to the Deol family," he says.

Abhay has now signed another film once again with a first-time director, about which the Deols intend to make an official announcement shortly.

"First-time directors are always charged up about their projects, which is why working with them is a pleasure. I have seen this particular director's vision on paper. He's a very grounded person much like Imtiaz Ali," says Abhay.

So how much is bade bhaiya Sunny monitoring his career these days? "He is always in the know about what I am doing next. He also gave me a clear go-ahead for this particular project, after I mentioned it to him, so did Imtiaz Ali," smiles Abhay.