For me, as an actor, it's a special experience to get the opportunity to play Umrao Jaan who has been already iconised on our celluloid. When I played Paro in Devdas, I went through the same area of questioning about how my role will be compared with the ones played earlier.

Thanks to the support of the audience, an incredible film like Devdas made by Sanjay Leela Bhansali was appreciated. That strengthened my belief that in the world of cinema, we are here to tell a story for today's audience. Each time a story is told or retold, it is the interpretation of that director, told in his language of cinema.

What I consider a blessing in my career is the opportunity to have essayed such incredible characters on screen -- be it from the contemporary or modern times, from classics, biographies or earlier films. This has enriched made my time in cinema.

But it's an honour to be even spoken about in the same breath as Rekhadi because she is my senior; somebody I respect and admire. I shared a special connection with her even before I joined the film industry. Once I was at a store near my home. She stopped her car, came to me and said, 'You are mine and you are going to be here (film industry) for a long time.'

It's so special that today I have the chance to play the character that she is synonymous with.

Rekha is very inspiring. It is not necessarily relative to just one performance, but her entire career, the span of characters that she has essayed, the performances that she has delivered itself is extremely inspiring. I am inspired by her performance. But I cannot ape her.

Ash glows at the mahurat of Umrao Jaan

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