Glad that I get to play different roles: Pooja Chopra 

Pooja Chopra, who features in Neeraj Pandey's Aiyaari, says it was a huge compliment for her when the filmmaker got her on board for the film without an audition. The actor was earlier a part of Pandey's short film Ouch.

"I think it is a huge compliment that he showed faith in me and trusted me to play such a strong character," she says.

Was there performance pressure when working with a filmmaker like Pandey? "I was very happy because I felt the pressure during Ouch and he had seen my potential and talent at that time. I just didn't want to disappoint him and his faith in me. And I am glad to have had the chance to work with him again."

Pooja, who debuted in Bollywood with Commando, explains how her characters of Aiyaari and Commando were different. "My character in Commando was that of the girl next door. She was just a normal girl. There was no need to transform myself. But here, Maya Semwal exhibits no girly traits. She is a man among men. Both the characters are very diverse," she says, adding, "In fact, the character I played in the short film Ouch, is also completely different. In Ouch, I play a lady who has an extramarital affair. I am glad I got to play three different roles and they were all challenging in their own way."

On what makes being a part of Aiyaari special, the former Miss India says, "Aiyaari is very special because it is with a director I always wanted to work with, which is a very rare chance. Also getting the chance to play such a strong performance-oriented character is not easy."

The film features Sidharth Malhotra and Manoj Bajpayee as army officers in a storyline that brings corruption within the system to the forefront. Aiyaari also features Rakul Preet Singh, Naseeruddin Shah, and Anupam Kher.