‘Deepika is the sexiest Indian woman’

“I think Deepika is the sexiest Indian woman alive. She carries herself beautifully, is gorgeous and independent. She’s grace personified and has everything that a man desires in a woman,” Neil says, shyly, after much prodding. “I’ve worked with her in Lafangey Parindey (2010). She’s a brilliant colleague to have. And lucky is the man who gets her.”

Wouldn’t he like to be the man in her life then? Single-man Neil laughs and says, “She’s a buddy and I wish her well. This thought has never run through my mind. If she reads this, I hope she doesn’t get me wrong.”

The 29-year-old actor, once reportedly engaged, believes that his sex appeal lies in the mystery that surrounds him. "I like the fact that no one knows my next move. In my case, even if they start guessing they won’t know what is on my mind and in my heart," Neil says with a grin. "That is what sex appeal means to me."

When was the first time that a girl found him sexy? Neil recalls it was at age 16. “Till then, I didn’t interact much with girls. There was a girl right behind me in the queue to submit admission forms at college,” he reminisces. “After the submission, she met me at the college gate and said, ‘You’re so sexy’. She left before I could react. I haven’t met her ever again. But her compliment keeps coming back to me.”