Southern beauty Asin Thottumkal, who shared the dais with Waheeda Rehman during the International Film Festival of India (IFFI), says that she was awestruck by the "beauty and grace" of the veteran Bollywood star.

Asin, who assisted the actress in lighting the ceremonial lamp at the inaugural ceremony last evening, was overjoyed to meet the yesteryears star for the first time.

"It was really a good interaction. I am an admirer of Waheedaji. She is beauty and grace personified," Asin told PTI.

The 24-year-old actress was already a leading name in the South Indian film industry before foraying into Bollywood with the Aamir Khan starrer 'Ghajini' last year.

"Waheedaji had nice things to say about my first Hindi movie (Ghajni). She was asking me whether I am trained in classical dance, which I am. She was also enquiring who is my guru," said Asin, who was last seen as the love interest of Salman Khan and Ajay Devgan in London Dreams.

The actress, who won her first Filmfare award in 2003 for a Telugu movie, feels that Bollywood is a bigger platform compared to South Indian cinemas.

"Its a national platform wherein you can reach to entire India," she quipped.