For someone who's been brought up on a farmhouse on the outskirts of Pondicherry, shooting for one and a half months in Kashmir is bound to be an unforgettable experience. Fourteen-year-old Ayesha Kapur looks at life a wee bit differently from what she had always thought it to be. “We were shooting for Sikandar in Pahalgam and I was amazed to see how kids of my age continued with everyday life, in the company of gun-toting army men. It is unimaginable for us. Also, I was socially inactive, with no internet or cell connectivity,” says Ayesha.

If it sounds a little strange coming from the kid most of us remember for her power-packed performance in Black, you are in for a surprise.

“Acting isn't my profession, it's a passion — quite like horse-riding or writing is for some. In fact, I find an uncanny resemblance between acting and horse-riding. There's a script for both. Am I not putting on an act every minute? Isn't my whole life an advertisement?” And yes, this does come from the child actor who has decided to keep all

offers on hold till Sikandar hits theatres. “Black released in 2005 and I had not done anything since then. I was a bit nervous before facing the camera and that too, acting with another teenager. But director Piyush Jha actually went to the extent of hearing me out if I had any suggestions for a scene,” recounts Ayesha.

Surely there are fond memories from her Black days. “I was the little kid, but they helped me through out and the fact that I was acting with Mr Bachchan was something so very special,” adding, “To think it took a couple of auditions before I got that role. Initially, they thought that Rani Mukerjee's nose didn't match mine, but the rest is history.”