“It was a tremendous blessing to have gotten to play such strong women” — Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was effusive in her praise of filmmakers Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Mani Ratnam at a press meet in Mumbai on Tuesday as both the directors had cast her in strong-willed characters named Nandini in their films.

Aishwarya recalled playing Nandini in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 1999 blockbuster Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam even as she attended the press meet to promote Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan: Part 2 in which she is portraying a charismatic queen called Nandini.

“What a coincidence. It’s amazing, na? Even Nandini in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam was very, very memorable. She has lived on people’s hearts and I’m so thankful that I got to play Nandini. She had remained special to the audience and, of course, to me. That was Sanjay Bhansali ji and today for my Mani Garu, I got to play Nandini, again, in Ponniyin Selvan. There’s a relatability, and I am very, very, very grateful,” the actress said.

“There’s somebody out there who relates to these characters we essay on screen. That’s the magic of cinema. When we get to do that under the guidance of someone as magical as Mani Garu, we’re absolutely blessed,” she added.

Asked whether Mani Ratnam’s association with a project was reason enough for her to say yes to the film, the Raavan actress called Mani Ratnam her guru and said she did not think twice after receiving the offer from the veteran filmmaker. “It’s a natural yes. Whenever he asks me to work in his films, I would say yes. That’s a given. You can call it my tribute to my guru or gratefulness or love. You can label it whatever you want.”

Elaborating on the joy of working with Mani Ratnam, Aishwarya said every actor in the industry would love to work with the director. “I think any actor — you speak to anyone who has had the opportunity to work with him or hasn’t as yet — deeply aspires to work with him,” she explained.