MUMBAI: Ayesha Takia, whose powerhouse performance in Dor established her credentials as a serious actor, says the role only tapped "five per cent" of her talent.
"I never expected this kind of praise. It's of course delightful. But let me also tell you, I feel Dor just taps five percent of my abilities. There's so much more to my abilities," Ayesha said.
"But how would people know about it unless they see what I can do. I must thank Nagesh Kukunoor for helping me connect with my character of Meera. At first I didn't quite understand her world, her joy and pain. She's such a simple person and we live in such a complicated world.
"But Nagesh explained Meera's world to me. At first it felt odd to get into her clothes and her world. But soon I got used to it. Today I definitely feel I've grown as an actress. But like I said, there's a lot more to me than Dor," she says.
She talks about how Kukunoor signed her for the film. "He saw me in my first film Socha Na Tha and also in Yun Hota To Kya Hota. That's all it took. I guess I need more directors with a vision about my career."
While her forthcoming films like Fool & Final and Kya Love Story Hai are hardly expected to build on the Dor advantage, Ayesha does have Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq where she has an interesting part in an ensemble cast.
But a role that Ayesha must grab is the one in Kukunoor's next film, which he wants to start soon with John Abraham.
Ayesha sighs. "I've to do what's offered to me. A film like Dor doesn't happen everyday. Yes, Nagesh has offered me his next. And I'd be a fool to let it go. There's only one problem, and a very major one. The role in Nagesh's next requires me to do a kissing scene. And under no circumstance will I kiss in a film, no matter how tempting the role."
A kiss seems an unlikely reason to turn down a role with a director who virtually changed Ayesha's career.
But she's adamant. "I'm sorry, but a kiss is out of the question. When I came to this industry, I set down some do's and don'ts for myself. And I plan to stick by them."
Isn't there any way the director and the actress can work this out? "It is a problem," Ayesha concedes. "For the girl's sexuality is a very important part of her character. Nagesh feels it won't work without the kiss. I respect that. For now, I'm happy being surrounded by all these good vibes for Dor."
Whether Kukunoor will make the required change to accommodate her in the project remains to be seen, but Ayesha is sure of one thing - no kissing. Not even for Kukunoor.
