Acting was never on my agenda: Nargis Fakhri

New Delhi: She was happy walking international runways as a model when ‘Rockstar’ happened. Nargis Fakhri, who played the female lead opposite Ranbir Kapoor in the Imtiaz Ali directed film, says she never wanted to become an actress.

Born to a Czech mother and a Pakistani father, Nargis made a much-hyped debut at the age of 32 with the film. The model-turned-actress says she has no regrets entering Bollywood late in her career as acting was never on her agenda. "Acting was never on the agenda, so I think Rockstar happened at the right time. I wouldn`t be here if it wasn`t for Rockstar. I have been modeling since I was 16. I am very new to the film industry and while I thoroughly enjoy my new job, there is still a lot for me to learn," Nargis told reporters. Even though her performance as Heer Kaul in ‘Rockstar’ met with criticism, the newbie actress remains undeterred, saying the comments have helped her overcome flaws. "I deal with the criticism the same way I deal with the praise. I am a very positive person and when people criticize it helps me overcome my flaws. I am very new to this industry so I take it as an experience and feel motivated to do better," she said. ‘Rockstar’ came out in November 2011 and Nargis is yet to sign another film, saying that she is waiting for the right project. "After being a part of a film like Rockstar, my next project has to be as good or better. I have read some great scripts and I think we will announce something soon. I was in no hurry to sign something. I wanted to wait for something exciting, and if that meant waiting for a while, then so be it," she said. Nargis was not an active part of promotions of ‘Rockstar’ and even after the release she didn`t expose herself to the media hype. The actress says she stayed away from the limelight to guard her personal life. "I don`t think I am an introvert at all. But I am guarded about my personal life and I think that`s important when you work in this industry." Despite being exposed to the world of show business as a model, Nargis says she was not prepared for the kind of attention she got post the film`s release. "Nothing can prepare you for this. I still get very nervous when I have to face a lot of people. It freaks me out to see so many people in front of me, calling out my name," she said. And she is also aware of the pressure that comes along with the attention. "It is a big achievement to be recognized in the Indian film fraternity as it has such great talents. But there is also a lot of responsibility that comes along, a lot of pressure about what your next project is, how you look, speak, act etc," Nargis said. PTI