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Self-confessedly, Ameesha Patel had to go through a “World War, before joining the industry”. Her mother sits nearby and smiles indulgently, agreeing. Mommy didn’t think this was quite the place for daughter dearest.

Glamour Bug
A gold-medallist in Economics from the State University of Boston, Ameesha is hardly the type you’d think would be interested in joining the film industry. But then, strange are the ways of the Glam world.

Raw Deal?
While the press and the entire film industry has gone overboard about her raw deal with Rakesh Roshan, Ameesha is really happy about it.

"When will people understand that Rakesh Roshan was making a launch film for his son? Hrithik was supposed to get the best scenes and maximum coverage and exposure in the film. It was something I understood properly before I signed on the dotted line. What I feel good about is that unlike other launch films, this one didn’t sidetrack the heroine totally. Everyone has noticed me -– and the film is the biggest hit of the year. What else could I have asked for?" she asks, ending her tirade.

Future Perfect
And while the press and the world may not have gone ga-ga over Ameesha, it is true that she has a lot of projects in hand currently.

A Zee Cinema production called Gadar, with Sunny Deol; three films with Mast Aftab Shivdasani; Vimal Kumar’s Suno Sasurji; an E Niwas film; a Tips film, (both yet untitled); a Vikram Bhatt film with Hrithik, called Aap Hum Ko Acche Lagne Lage; a David Dhawan-Salman Khan film; a film with Ajay Devgan called Parwana; a Tanuja Chandra film, and another Satish Kaushik film with Karisma and Anil Kapoor.

Too Much Too Soon?
Has she taken more than she can swallow?

"No. All the films are very well spaced out, and I am not doing two shifts or working myself round the bend," she says firmly. Currently, her mantra of life is fun.

Sunny Side Up
So what’s it like working with the moody Sunny Deol?

"I was very apprehensive initially, but once we started working, I realised that he can be fun in his own way. On the sets he doesn’t behave like a superstar. He doesn’t make you feel like the senior that he is. And he’s very, very helpful. He actually helped me out with a lot of my scenes", says Ameesha.

Work Is Worship
Coming from a life lived in the lap of luxury, it must have been something else for Ameesha to adjust to the weird ways of Bollywood.

"What disturbs me a lot is the serious unprofessionalism. The indiscipline towards work is bad. Work is very often treated like a picnic, whereas where I come from, work is worshipped. If I have to be on the set at nine in the morning I would prefer to be there at ten to nine. Then if the shoot is cancelled because somebody went for a haircut, it really bugs the hell out of me. But people can be nice too", she adds, hastily.

Super Stardom
Life must have taken a sudden about turn after the stupendous success of Kaho Na Pyaar Hai. And what’s it like being a star?

"Oh! Fantastic! I might not have changed at all, but people around you start looking at you differently. The bad side is that people are ever ready to misconstrue events to make mischief just for the heck of it. So there is a lot more of gossip, which in my case, has all been short-lived".

"Another thing that has changed is that I can’t get out of my house without causing a stir. I can’t even step out to have sev puri without people disturbing me! Well, I guess you have to pay for this kind of fame", she says with a shrug.