I'm thrilled to be working with "new generation" makers : Ayesha

New Delhi, May 7: Her effortless portrayals in Anant Mahadevan's 'Dil Maange More' and Imtiaz Ali's 'Socha Na Tha' made the Mumbai film industry sit up and take notice of this "abundantly talented" actress.

It's been just three years since her debut in 'Tarzan-The Wonder Car' and the bubbly and vivacious Ayesha Takia, with her "natural before the camera" ability and her tremendous "passion for the craft of acting which shines through her performances", is easily the most "sought after" actress in Bollywood - while she is a favourite of almost every "thinking filmmaker" in tinsel town be it Sujoy Ghosh, Nikhil Advani, Naseeruddin Shah or Nagesh Kukunoor, she also has big banners like Subhash Ghai and Vashu Bhagnani in her kitty.

Vashu Bhagnani's 'Shaadi No 1', Subhash Ghai's 'Shaadi Se Pehle', Sujoy Ghosh's 'Home Delivery', Nikhil Advani's much-awaited 'Salaam-E-Ishq', Naseeruddin Shah's debut directorial venture 'Yun Hota to Kya Hota' and Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dorr' - the list of films in which she has either featured or is slated to star in reads like a whos who of the Mumbai film industry.

For the vivacious and chirpy Ayesha Takia, however, a foray in Bollywood is largely about enjoying herself as an actress by doing a variety of interesting roles and films that provide a clean wholesome entertainment to the cinegoers.

''As an actress, I want to do films that I can enjoy doing. So, for me it is very important to feel comfortable in and gel with the environment in which I am working. Fortunately for me, I have, so early in my film career, got an opportunity to work with several "like minded" filmmakers like Nikhil, Sujoy and Nagesh all of whose sensibilities match with my own.,''Ayesha told UNI in an interview.

''It is really a matter of great pleasure and thrill to be working with all the "new generation" filmmakers like Nagesh, Nikhil and Sujoy who have today become proponents of a new kind of sensible cinema. Working with filmmakers like Nikhil was really fun.

Infact, my roles in some of these films like Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dorr' are something I have always dreamt of doing,''Ayesha said.

While Naseeruddin Shah's 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota' and Nikhil Advani's 'Yun Hota To Kya Hota' are ready for release, shooting for Nagesh Kukunoor's 'Dorr' is still going on.

Asked whether she has a penchant for comedies considering that she has starred in a host of comedies of late, from Vashu Bhagnani's 'Shaadi No 1' to Sujoy Ghosh's 'Home Delivery' to Satish Kaushik's 'Shaadi Se Pehle', Ayesha said,,''I love comedies. In any case, I feel every film today has some element of comedies in it.'' She may be a favourite of Bollywood but at the same time Ayesha has been seen to turn down several films because of her disinclination to indulge in skin show.

''I know that a lot of girls in the industry are willing to do such films. However, I am not comfortable doing certain things on screen. I would not like to do something on screen which I am embarrassed to watch with my family who have been my constant source of support through my foray in films,''she said.

On whether she felt a bit left out in a scenario where many actresses made it big riding on controversy or indulging in skin show. Ayesha said,''I feel that to an extent people who work hard do get their due. However, Bollywood is a crazy place where sometimes less talented people become famous after getting involved in controversies while talented ones go unnoticed.'' Also on the anvil for her is Ahmed Khan's 'Fool and Final'.

On the rather lukewarm response for recent release, 'Shadi Se Pehle', Ayeshs said,''the box office potential of a film is no doubt important. At the same time, it is something that is difficult to predict beforehand. In today's times, nobody can tell what will work and what won't. So I am always looking to do work which I can enjoy doing without worrying about the box office.'' In love with acting since her childhood, Ayesha did several ads as a child. ''I've been in love with movies ever since I was a child,''she says.

Prior to making her debut in films with Abbas Mastan's 'Tarzan -The Wonder car', she appeared in music video for Falguni Pathak's Meri Chunar when she was just 15.

UNI