It is not often that one finds the otherwise reticent Amrita Rao wax eloquent about a co-star or the director of her film.

So, when the pretty Amrita voices her admiration for John Mathew Matthan, the director of her just released venture ‘Shikhar' and her co-stars in the film, Ajay Devgan and Shahid Kapoor, one can be sure that she is not merely speaking for the cameras.

The lukewarm response to her earlier release, Mahesh Manjrekar's ‘Waah Life Ho To Aisi' notwithstanding, Amrita is looking forward to and is excited about John Mathew Matthan's ‘Shikhar', which released on December 30.

''Working with John Matthan has been a dream come true for me.

For, ever since I saw his first film ‘Sarfarosh' (starring Aamir Khan, Sonali Bendre and Naseeruddin Shah) I have wanted to work with him,'' Amrita told.

Having worked with him now, Amrita's esteem for the filmmaker has only risen.

''John Mathew Matthan is a brilliant filmmaker. There is something about the filmmaker that working with him makes you want to work with him again and again.

Having worked with him once, I feel like working in each of his films,'' Amrita said.

''Infact, there was a kind of positive energy from all the actors on the sets. Consequently, the film has been made really fast. We started shooting for it just about an year ago and now the film has released on December 30,'' she said.