She isn’t known as one of the most beautiful women in the world for nothing. Each time Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is on screen, she lights up the frame. And while she takes pride in that, the actor in her doesn’t wish to be the centre of attraction in every frame in a film.

“My thirst to be a part of good cinema has definitely grown. But my attitude has remained the same that I was always searching for work, where I have the opportunity to grow, learn and contribute as an actor. I think I made that very obvious by choosing Iruvar to begin my career with. I was making multiple statements by that first choice that said that here I was willing to work on subjects that are not just all about Aishwarya, even though that was going to be my first film as there were major expectations after winning Miss World. Doing a film in a regional language, not because you are out of work but because you want to. I was making it obvious that I was not insecure to work in a huge canvas with such fine actors. I don’t need to be the apparent cynosure of all eyes,” she explains.

Though she took a break after her daughter Aaradhya was born, the actor’s criteria, in terms of choosing a role, remained the same. While it was obvious that she would choose projects that didn’t require her to be away from home for longer periods, her attitude remained unchanged.

“In so many years, my attitude of being a very liberated actor remains the same. Nothing changes there, not even after Aaradhya. It grows in terms of the impactful opportunity and Sarbjit displays that. To choose a character like this on a humanitarian ground, I was sold. Today, when I am seeing it through the response that the film evoked, I recognize the importance. Acting is very technical but in this film, I have done it from my soul.”