Mumbai, Nov 23 (IANS): Actress Alia Bhatt, who has worked with a female director Gauri Shinde for the first time in her career, calls her a genius.

"I love her, I adore her working style. She is a very unique human being. The way she thinks is the way her writing translates. I believe she is a genius," Alia Bhatt, who is playing one of the lead roles in Shinde's film "Dear Zindagi", told IANS.

The ad film maker-turned-director kicked off her career in Bollywood with the critically acclaimed film "English Vinglish" and currently she is busy promoting "Dear Zindagi".

Alia reveals she has become more expressive towards her family after doing this film.

"After doing this film, I have become very expressive towards my family. Each film teaches me something and I just feel grateful that my parents are healthy, alive and such amazing individuals. I try to make most of the time with them," she said.

"Dear Zindagi" is a slice-of-life film with Alia playing the protagonist, an aspiring filmmaker, who is on the lookout for a lot of unanswered questions. The film also features Shah Rukh Khan, Ali Zafar, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kunal Kapoor and Angad Bedi.