An hourglass figure doesn’t top her priority list, being comfortable in her own skin does. Sreelekha Mitra is game for anything bold and beautiful. A t2 chat...

The STAR Jalsa serial Bandhan has given you a fresh lease of TV life...

People have really liked Bandhan though I haven’t tried to offer anything new. I won’t take the credit alone. It’s due to Team Bandhan.... I think there’s a connection — I am basically a nice human being and maybe that reflects on my face! My character Shreya in Ei To Jiban was very popular. People still remember me from that serial. I was there, I am there.

Are you under pressure to compete with younger actresses?

No, there’s no competition. I don’t think a younger actress could have replaced me in Bandhan. One has to accept age. There’s a time for every role. I can’t play a college girl anymore. Besides, I am very comfortable with newcomers. I often compliment them on their work.

You are also in demand as a sexy reality show judge...

So far I have been part of only two reality shows — Mirakkel and Lux Fatafati Filmy Fight. I was present on those shows both emotionally and cerebrally. I like to encourage young talent.... I know I don’t have an hourglass figure. In fact I was fat when I was a judge on Mirakkel! But I wore spaghetti, halter-necks, backless tops and managed to look nice because I am very comfortable in them.

What films are you doing?

I have finished shooting Ogo Bodhu Sundari with Babul Supriyo and Ardhangini Ek Ardh Satya, the Hindi remake of Ghare Baire with Subrat Dutta.... I don’t do too many films. I was supposed to do a Malayalam film but I had differences with the director.

How has Ardhangini shaped up?

Well, there will be comparisons (with Ray’s Ghare Baire) and criticism. We have taken liberties. I had to mould myself into a Hindi-speaking woman, so my mannerisms and the nuances of the character (Bimala) changed as the film is in Hindi.

You often work with first-time directors whose films turn out to be box-office duds...

I don’t deny the fact that I like working with new directors. They are very innovative, they have a certain excitement which is infectious. The problem is that though most of the films are experimental, the execution is wrong. They have too many ideas and they want to do a lot and go wrong.

Why don’t we see you in Rituparno Ghosh or Anjan Dutt’s films?

I had done a telefilm with Anjanda a long time back. He had said he liked my work and would like to repeat me. But you can blame it on my bad PR skills. We artistes are all consumer products and must know how to sell ourselves. But I have my ego. I know who I am and I know my potential. If the directors are not aware of my potential yet, it’s their bad luck and my bad luck too! Besides, I didn’t have any guidance when I entered the industry and I made some wrong choices. I did films which when I see now I hide my face in shame.... Pradeep Sarkar, with whom I have done a couple of ad films including the ones with Aamir Khan and Saif Ali Khan, had asked me to shift to Mumbai. But I couldn’t as I had a daughter. They are my priority and I don’t regret my decision.

You once told t2 that you have no inhibitions about skin show...

I don’t have inhibitions in portraying intimate scenes realistically. We don’t go under the bedsheet while making love! If a kissing scene has a proper kiss, I don’t have a problem with it. But more often than not, it is not so in Bengali films.

Do you get offers for dare-bare roles?

Yes, I do. Whether I take it up or not depends on the director and how well he is able to convince me.