I am doing the first period film of my career. Playing Noor Jahan was very challenging.

I have read a lot of books and watched a lot of movies before doing this role, like Indu Sundarshan's book, The Twentieth Wife.

I feel Noor Jahan was a magician and could bewitch any man. She had an aura.

Akbar Khan knew what he wanted from me and I have given my best. I have a scheming role in the film. Noor Jahan married [Shah Jahan's father] Emperor Jehangir when she was 34. People say that Jehangir got her husband killed and married her by accepting her child from the earlier marriage.

She introduced the hookah, paan, rose essence, hennah and Kohinoor to India.