'To play the Alzheimer's patient convincingly, I had a doctor on the sets to guide me. The best thing he said about someone suffering from the disease was he or she forgets all the experiences that colour their reactions. That one line helped me to play this character.

'How did I look so blank when I got an attack? I can't explain it. I've a vivid imagination - I thought of what my reaction would be if I really had the disease.'

The actress says that she never experienced any identity crisis.

'I'm confident by nature. I know who I am. I've never been through an identity crisis. So what you see on screen comes from within. Yes, I'm very instinctive on camera. Some actors believe they get better with every passing take. Not me. I believe for all actors the first take is the best. But then I haven't worked with that many actors.'

Right now Karan Johar is keen to sign her along with Shah Rukh Khan for his next film, however Kajol says she will first read the script and then decide.

'We're talking about it. Yes, I'm aware he thinks of me for all his films. I couldn't do Karan's. Shooting in New York for 90 days with my baby wasn't possible. Karan understood. Even his next requires foreign shooting. Let's see. I'm not saying yes to him until I hear his script.'

Fearless about competition, Kajol said: 'I really appreciate a good performance by colleagues. I've had actors touch me with their performances. I don't think one actor or performance can be compared with any other. No, I've never felt competitive.

'I don't think of films and performances as a marathon race. I truly enjoy my work. And I'm too selfish as an actor to care what other actors are doing. But, yes, I do need competent co-stars to give back to me what I give them in a shot.'