Deepika Padukone has been Akshay Kumar's leading lady in 'Houseful' and 'Chandni Chowk To China'. Though many expected the pairing to be repeated with 'Desi Boyz' as well, there was a surprise in store with John Abraham and Chitrangda Singh being their respective co-stars. Not just that as the film also shows the two to be at loggerheads with each other, what with a love-hate relationship between the two.

"Can you believe it," says Deepika in an animated tone, "Honestly it was tough for me to play a part where I don't like him. See, the fact of the matter is that I am genuinely extremely fond of Akshay. I have done my first few films with him and this is my third film."

One can see though that the couple did have some good fun despite not being paired opposite each other, what with Akshay proudly proclaiming Deepika to be his 'bhabhi'. When she was explained this part initially, didn't she just crack up hearing about it?

"Idea was to do something different instead of following a clichéd routine. I know that many would have expected Akshay and I to be together as a pair but then there wouldn't have been any novelty about it. Having said that, most of my scenes have Akshay as well along with John so it is all the more fun," she says.

While she has a lot of good words to say about her male co-stars here, one does tend to believe that despite the film being centred on the 'desi boyz', there is some weight that Deepika too lends to the proceedings with her presence.

"See, it's a fact that the film is eventually the boys, their friendship and their journey. However this is one journey which would be incomplete without the presence of the ladies", assures Deepika.