My very first job was my Pepsi ad with him, directed by Prahlad Kakkar. Prahlad introduced us, and told him, 'This is Ritu, and she's one of your neighbours.' I was his neighbour in the ad who borrows a Pepsi!

He was very charming. I had seen his films before and really liked him. Even in Darjeeling, while I was in boarding school, everyone liked him very much. So my first job was opposite him, you can imagine how thrilled I was!

I met him again while he was shooting (for Akele Hum Akele Tum) with Mansoor Khan and Manisha Koirala. I was shooting for an ad. He said, 'Hi Ritu. You should do films.' I told him that my name was going to be changed, as I was about to enter films.

I met him for the third time when I was shooting for Pardes and he was doing Dharmesh Darshan's Mela. He would often invite me to his sets.

He's so easygoing, friendly and helpful. We've met at parties and shows etc. Recently, I met him at the airport and he was so chatty.

I like the way he organises himself. He decides on something, and does it. We all decide on things but don't do them, but he actually does. It's a quality I admire very much. He has rules for himself and lives by them. He has worked at himself, and on himself, very successfully!

I would love to work with him. In a romantic film, of course. Something like Titanic -- I think he does romance so well. But I like his comedies too, like Dil Chahta Hai. I would love to do a romantic role with him -- the Kate Winslet sort, where I'd tower over him!

He is India's Tom Hanks. I don't know whether he'd consider it one, but I mean it as a compliment.

If one had to think of a chocolatey hero, it's Aamir.

I'd like to wish him a very happy 40th birthday. He looks nowhere near 40. I just saw a picture of him with his hair cut off, and he looked so youthful! I think this quality will remain with him, however old he becomes. Youth: that's Aamir!

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