Imtiaz Ali's directorial debut was supposed to be Takia's first release. Pitting her opposite newcomer Abhay Deol, the film smacks of a freshness usually alien to Bollywood. Her grinning, happy-go-lucky Aditi is a liar and a charmer, and completely, utterly irresistible.

It's harder than it looks, playing a totally relatable girl next door. This is a performance that requires restraint, candour and impulsiveness in relatively equal measure.

Takia's Aditi manages to bow mock-dutifully as a marriagable ladka comes to rate her, justify lying to the parents as second nature, and ends up with a spirited climac that would have persnickety aunts shiver, before they applaud.

Ayesha nails it.

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