Q: Sheesha goes many steps ahead of Julie.

I?m glad it has opened well in the interiors, though not in the metros. I was never too sure about the film in the big cities.

Q:Have you made a conscious decision to position yourself in the film market as a sex queen?

Not at all! For me, even coming to Bollywood wasn?t a conscious decision. My first film, Qayamat, just happened to me. I agree it was a disaster for me. I was almost written off. I did Julie because I wanted to show people what I was capable of. After Julie things came to a situation where producers wanted to cast me as the ?hero?. They began to think it was foolhardy to pay heroes huge sums of money if I was around. In any case, no big hero was willing to work with me. Sheesha was offered to many big names. Like it or not, I?m stuck with the reputation of being a girl who?s put at the centre of a story without bothering with the leading man. This is becoming a bit of a?.

Q: Problem?

Yeah. Of course, I enjoy it thoroughly. But from now on, if they want me to be the film?s hero they?ll have to pay me as much as the leading man. In fact, I?ve just completed another film, Siskiyan, with Ashwini Choudhary who made a beautiful film called, Dhoop. Siskiyan is a film I?ll take to the grave. It?s a story set during one night when three characters are trapped in a house. It?s got me in an author-backed role, and no skin show. My costars are Sonu Sood and Sachin Khedekar. I?ve spoken about how much I admire Sachin. Sadly, people have taken my admiration in the wrong sense.

Q: In what way?

I just meant he?s such a tutor to a new performer like me. Even Sonu was so helpful even though Siskiyan is a female-oriented subject. Both the actors are such a refreshing change from the rest of the male brigade who have a problem working in women-oriented films. Then I?ve Ektaa Kapoor?s Kya Kool Hain Hum, where I do comedy for the first time. I?ve just 6-7 scenes. But I needed to break away from the sexy image.

Q: Saw you in the unintentional comedy called Rakht.

Well?.(giggles)?I was billed ?friendly appearance? in that. I haven?t seen Rakht. I was offered Mahesh Manjrekar?s Padmashree Laloo Prasad Yadav. It?s a remake of a very good film, A Fish Called Wanda. What did you think of it?

Q: Sheesha is Gone With The Wind in comparison.

Really! Well, in that case?I?m glad I chose to be Scarlett ?Hara instead of Wanda.

Q: Does the excessive body display in Julie and Sheesha bother you?

Everyone is doing it. So why point a finger at me? Even the classy Aishwarya Rai did a whole bedsheet number in Shabd. And very aesthetically, too. So it all depends on how you handle yourself. As for being unconventional, let?s not make a big deal about it. In the next six months every leading lady will be doing it.

I recently saw a poster of a film called Wimbledon. It?s a tennis film. But it has skin show, kissing, the works. My producers tend to promote my films in the wrong way. Somewhere in their anxiety to beat the box-office they?ve lost their conscience.

Q: But they?ve no choice!

Well, Sheesha had a lot of other elements besides the skin show. It could?ve been projected in an entirely different way. I feel the titillating projection took away from the film?s more vital elements. I also felt there were too many kissing sequences. Not required. Both Sonu and I kept asking about it. But finally it was the director?s take. When you?ve two actors with fairly sophisticated faces and body language, why go all out? But now I?ve decided to be more assertive about my dos and don?ts. I?ve signed a courtroom drama to be produced by Harry Baweja and directed by theatre guy Janak Thoprani. I intend to state clearly in my contract that none of the promos can go on air without my consent.

Q: What?s this film about?

It?s again a totally woman-oriented subject. But it?s again got an element of sex in it. I?ll tell the makers that I?d do all that?s required. But the promos must not be unnecessarily provocative. I?ll also not do any kissing scenes or wear a swimsuit. Bollywood is a place that sucks you in. But I?m glad I?m a sucker for it.

Q: But what?s wrong with kissing or swimsuits?

These are concrete objections I can raise. In my contract it will be stated that no shot can go in without the collective consent of the leading lady, director and producer. I won?t do anything that compromises me. No steam without self-esteem.

Q: Your statement that only sex and Shah Rukh Khan sell has become a quotable quote.

Yes! I need to exercise copyright over it. I don?t want money. But I want my name each time it?s quoted. I think things have changed since I said that. Audiences have reached a saturation point with titillating films. What sells now is a good script. Today the audiences is clued in to every aspect of a film. You cannot con them with skin. Even the actors need to exercise more intelligence.

Q: You come across as too intelligent to be a sex object.

Do I? What should I do? Should I just put an end to all the skin show? Right now I?ve only one film with a sex content. And that?s Harry Baweja?s film. I?m sure he?ll treat the subject well. After all he calls me his bachcha. After that I?ll hang up my boots and put my foot down. I?m bored of doing the same kind of bold roles. Siskiyan will speak for itself. I know it?s an honest effort. No more kissing in at least my next 10 films.