8216;We Joke About Our Romance8217;

Your one-shot appearance in Kal Ho Naa Ho earned many wolf whistles. But aren8217;t you tired of doing one-minute scenes for friendship8217;s sake?
To me, relationships are more important than films. Come on, films are your career but friendship is forever. So if a friend is honest enough to tell me he wants me only for one scene, I8217;ll do it willingly.

So when will your pal Karan Johar give you a proper role?
When Karan feels I suit a character in his film, he8217;ll give it to me. See, for me he is not just a film-maker, I8217;ve seen the other side of Karan Johar, which is vulnerable. He8217;s my friend and I8217;m happy to do whatever role he gives me.

And all those rumours of a romance?
Oh, we keep joking about it. Recently, a magazine had Karan, Shah Rukh and me on the cover. Karan joked that in the picture, it seems we are both married and Shah Rukh is blessing us. Karan is very protective towards me, maybe that8217;s why he can8217;t see me as an actress. But he knows I8217;m lucky for him and always boasts that he makes me look very special.

You are Bollywood8217;s Miss Congeniality.
I8217;m an easy-going person. I8217;ve got a lot in my life and am thankful to God. I cannot be malicious towards my contemporaries. I realise that they also work hard. I don8217;t find the need to say I8217;m more talented than anyone else.

But of late, there has been a cooling off with people like Aishwarya Rai, Preity Zinta and Kareena Kapoor.
You can8217;t hold someone by the collar and ask them why he/she has written a gossip piece. But I don8217;t have the time to solve petty issues. As I see it, if tomorrow I meet Ash, both of us will hug each other. Kareena is my sweetheart and she knows that. Preity and me are fine too.

Can two actresses ever be best friends?
To be very honest, no. I give a lot of love and friendship to people who I think are my friends. However, very rarely do I get it in return.

Who8217;s the No. 1 actress in Bollywood?
If you ask me, obviously I8217;ll say it8217;s me. Jokes aside, I think actors are no longer No. 1, only films are. Gone are the days when one actor could dominate an entire film. Only Amitabh Bachchan could do that.

You play the lead role opposite Amitabh Bachchan in Black.
Black is one film I8217;ve got because of my goodwill and hard work over the years. I know I will never get a role like this or a maker like Sanjay Leela Bhansali ever again. So, I will have to give everything to this film.

You are also doing Bhansali8217;s Bajirao Mastani with Salman as Bajirao and Kareena as Mastani. What are you?
I8217;m playing Kashibai, the Peshwa8217;s queen. The film is a love triangle. Maybe Sanjay could8217;ve named it Bajirao Kashi Mastani but when has the name of the film ever mattered to me.

You are a hot favourite with the Khans. Comment.
I guess I was a Pathan in my last birth. All of them can identify the hidden Khan in me. I love them all and am so glad they are an integral part of my career.

What about those stories of a rivalry with your cousin Kajol? Have you seen her daughter, Nysa?
Kajol and me are not that close but she8217;s my elder sister. We are very cordial. I haven8217;t seen the baby as yet though Ajay Devgan has invited me to see her. Recently, Kajol met my parents and said she will soon invite the family. I8217;m waiting for the invitation.

Why is there nobody special in your life?
I8217;m very tense because I am at a marriageable age and I just want to concentrate on my work. I feel I8217;ll get married and leave all this, which is something I don8217;t want to do. But I can8217;t promise that I will work after marriage.