No, I didn`t quite know to what extent the football might be, but it was quite a bonus for me to try to learn new skills and to keep fit at the same time.

There`s apparently soccer leagues that they`ve set up with young Indian girls.

But we had a fantastic coach, Simon Clifford, who runs a British football youth game which teaches Brazilian techniques - which is what we wanted to incorporate into the film. And some of those things we eventually got in.

In London there was an article about all these girls bending it like Beckham, and in India there`s this big wave of girls playing football. Wow! I can`t believe a movie`s done this!

I was worried people would laugh at me when I started to talk the language, but they were just pleasantly surprised that I could. The sense of humour here is great - once I could have a giggle, I settled down.

And of course in America you`ve got American football and baseball and all those other ball games, soccer has become a little niche that the women have kind of filled.

About her biggest fashion disaster: When I was 13, I was really into Madonna. I`d wear leggings, short skirts, big blouses, big belts, a pearl choker, big earings, bracelets - I was a mess. I thought I was a mini Madonna. (2007)

The top question I always get is, "What was it like to kiss Jonathan Rhys Meyers, you lucky cow?" What can I say? He was great to kiss. Good lips. It was embarrassing, actually. The first time we had that kissing scene, I actually forgot my lines, I got so lost in it. "There was silence all around me and I thought `Why is everything so quiet?` I looked around and then said, `Oh, it`s me, isn`t it?`" (on kissing Rhys-Meyers in Bend It Like Beckham (2002))

I`m actually going in to ER as the new British intern.

I love cooking. I couldn`t do any of these L.A. diets because I love my Indian food too much. If there was a Zone diet that included Indian food, maybe I`d do it...I should invent it! (2007)

When asked if people still ask her about her film `Bend It Like Beckham`: Yeah, I met somebody at a party and they were like, "Which one of the two girls were you?" I said, "I was the brown one! (2007)

But it`s a very universal story and the thing is I was reluctant to answer that question because I don`t want people latching on to a particular stereotype.

About wanting children: "Yes. I don`t want to be an old mother. I think five years is about right." (2007)

Therefore reinforcing a stereotype, therefore thinking that the entire Indian culture is just made of people that are against their children`s decisions.

When asked about her marriage plans for the future: "Not yet. My theory right now is that if it ain`t broke...! I`m not going to leave it too long, but not just yet. There are a few things that I still want to do. And it`s so much hassle trying to plan a wedding [laughts]. I just want it to be perfect." (2007)

I`m a British intern going in. I`m hoping that John will just kind of tackle it from who this person is and what she`s about rather than trying to go in on her culture. We need to move a step forward than that.

When asked who was the better kisser on ER: "All my cast-mates want to know that! They were both special in their own way [laughs]. John and his stubble gave me a rash. With Shane, it was more gentle and smooth. The funniest moment was directly after kissing Shane, we were eating Chinese food and drinking coffee. Then we shot more kissing scenes; we had mints on hand!" (2007)

Before I started doing the film and when I found out I was going to be doing it, I just decided to pump up on the whole cardio stuff. Just in terms of stamina.

I can pretty much tell the whole story through my eyes. Some of the best actors that you watch don`t have to physically do too much.

About David and Victoria Beckham moving to L.A.: "It`s so funny that people think that we would naturally be hanging out. No, not happening! I met them once, and they were lovely. I think it`s kind of inevitable that they would end up here. I was like, "Wow, he`s getting paid quite a lot of money!" (2007)

It`s been really nice to see different counties that I might never have visited before.

At times, I couldn`t understand what I was doing. I just knew I needed to stick with it. It was instinct, and that`s what I`ve always relied upon.

My father in the film - which we probably haven`t seen in previous movies, and in British Asian movies you could probably count on one hand - he says exactly why, actually why he`s frightened for his daughter. He came to this country, England, and had a bit of a crappy time.

Football is a passion that she holds dear to her heart. She`s really going for her dream and there are obstacles in the way, but deep down she knows what she wants, and she pursues that.

In terms of soccer, it wasn`t really a thing that girls did. In England it more kind of Net Ball and Hockey and stuff like that in athletics. It`s to each their own, really.

That`s what I like about acting. When you`re preparing for a role, you do your research, and the bonus is you get to learn these skills. Now, it`s on to whatever the next thing is I have to learn.

I got to go to Malaysia, Germany, Switzerland, Madrid, America.

In terms of the frustration of my character, I suppose any teenager has probably gone through that, in terms of telling their parents, I want to do one thing, and their parent says no. I think parents sometimes forget that they were children.

But I think it`s also hard to get into soccer here. I think purely on a time level on television as well because of the ad breaks. It`s something to do with that as well. You can`t show a complete soccer match here. Which I kind of find a bit of an odd thing.

I really identified with Jess, because my own dream was acting, which isn`t the most conventional profession.

If I can inspire someone to go in a positive way and pursue a dream, it can only be good.

At times those skills were really hard to do because not only was I having to contend with the camera, but I was having to learn these new skills and the ball was always kind of doing what you didn`t want it to do. So it got a little bit frustrating at times but we got there.