You seem to be having a dream run at the B.O. After a super successful 2007, all your releases this year Race, Singh Is Kinng and even Hello (in which you did a cameo) have raked in the moolah. How do you feel when people say that you are the lucky mascot for their films?
I hate that word 'lucky'. There is no such thing as luck. It's all destiny!!! I feel God has always been there for me. I work hard and then pray for my films to do well. There is nothing wrong in wanting to do well. Some films work while some don't but as long as the industry is giving me interesting roles and I get a chance to work with some good directors, I am happy (smiles)

A lot of people say that the race for the No.1 Heroine is well and truly on between Kareena, Priyanka and yourself. Your comments on the same...
I think everyone is in their own secure space. Both Kareena and Priyanka are extremely talented actresses and I am happy to even be considered in that same league. As an actress, I just want to keep progressing and never want my audiences to get bored. Hence, in the next few months you will see me in a whole new set of roles.

So what are you currently working on?
I have an interesting line-up of films in 2009. I am working with an interesting set of directors and some really cool co-stars. I just finished a long schedule of Yash Raj's New York along with John Abraham and Neil Mukesh in the USA. The film is almost 90% complete now. Right now, I'm in Goa shooting for Raj Kumar Santoshi's film Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani with Ranbir Kapoor. It's a sweet romantic comedy. In December, I start shooting for Priyadarshan's film De Dhana Dhan with Akshay Kumar and next year I start work on Prakash Jha's Rajniti which is a political thriller, a genre completely different from what I have done before. So I guess I do have a pretty good mix of films in my kitty.

... contd.