No kissing for Ayesha Takia

For Ayesha Takia, the right to not kiss on screen is unquestionable. She says her values don't allow it. In fact, Ayesha has said no to a kiss in Nagesh Kukunoor's film. Is it because of boyfriend Farhan Azmi?" First of all, I never said no to the film. I said no to the scene. I can't say no to Nagesh. After 'Dor', he's a friend and a director I respect immensely. I still think we can work our way around the scene.

"But Nagesh is adamant. So I guess...You know Anurag Kashyap's 'No Smoking' had a kissing and lovemaking scene. Anurag altered the script for my sake."

"But Farhan or no member of my family has anything to do with my decision. My values make me uncomfortable with such a scene. If I go to a premiere with my family, and that includes Farhan, and see myself kissing on screen, I'd be very uncomfortable."

Ayesha is a rare actress who has no qualms about admitting the presence of a boyfriend in her life. "True love is so hard to find. And I've found it. These days relationships are so fickle that I feel our generation has too many choices.

"If we don't change our father, mother or sibling, why must we change the person whom we want to spend our life with? The prospect of the soul mate being replaceable is so wrong. Once you know you can change priorities in your life you stop investing your complete self into the relationship."

Is marriage on the cards? "Not right away. But I see no harm in having a career and a home side by side. When I do get married I'll know if I can manage both. Right now god is kind enough to give me a bright career and I see no room for marriage. However, let me add, I'm not one of those actresses who'll marry when her career comes to a dead end. That's like saying, 'I've no other choice so I might as well get married.' That would be an insult to the person I love."

Farhan is okay with the idea of an actress as a wife. "He's very proud of my work. He's not much of a movie buff. But he watches my films. I don't let him watch my silly films - and please don't mention names, ha ha. But Farhan saw 'Dor'. And he loved me in it."

Why did she do films like "Shaadi Se Pehle" and "Shaadi No 1"? "I don't regret doing any of my films. I feel every film I've done has helped me reach where I'm today."

Ayesha feels all her dreams are coming true. "I may not be able to walk around the roads of Mumbai and eat pani-puri. And very honestly I've no friends. No friends at all in the industry or outside it. My family and Farhan and he's part of my family are all the friends that I have time for.

"Yes, it's a good life...Though I don't think I've been given enough chances to prove myself. I think my career has just taken off after 'Dor'."

By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service