Koena Mitra in Calcutta on Sunday. Picture by Amit Datta

Afew years back, a sultry Calcutta model had walked her way into the limelight, storming away with the Gladrags Mega Model 2001 crown. Since then, there has been no looking back for Koena Mitra. Music videos, commercials and item numbers later, the Bollywood heroine is now only game for “big banners”.

In Calcutta for the launch of a debut venture — an exclusive Sangini Diamond Jewellery outlet of the Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) petrol pump at 11/1 Diamond Harbour Road — the Saki saki girl seemed happy to return to her roots. The crowd was huge, the chaos typically Calcutta, but Koena was Miss Congeniality — smile in place, confident yet brisk her interactions...

Here’s what the girl who grew up near Triangular Park had to tell GoodLife.

Style factor

A jeans and tee person, “comfort rules” for Koena. “I definitely wear saris to awards functions... A taant would be the choice when attending a puja,” said the Apna Sapna Money Money..? star, looking sexy in a summery spaghetti dress.

Bedazzled

Women love jewellery and the Bengali bombshell is no exception. “I love delicate jewellery and am fond of diamonds.”

The Sunday afternoon function saw her sporting minimal accessories (only a few rings were visible till she sported a cleavage-hugging Sangini neckpiece to pose for photographs). “It is the look that matches my outfit. When in a sari, I do not mind experimenting with elaborate pieces.”

And why was the ring finger naked? “Trust me, when something happens the whole world will know,” she smiled.

Filmi facts

“Currently I am looking forward to how Apna Sapna Money Money..? works.” The Sangeeth Sivan film is slated for a November 10 release.

Koena is all praise for the Apna Sapna Money Money..? cast and crew. “I had not worked with my co-stars earlier. But that was hardly a deterrent. I had a great time. The movie has been directed well and the roles well distributed.” Elaborating on her role, she added: “I play a Catholic girl who is a wannabe popstar. I am not a joker in the film. It is my lingo — wrong Hindi — that will add to the comic element.”

As for low budgets and small banners, she is “not ready to take the risk”. Talking about Tollywood, Koena admitted she “would love to do a Bengali film someday, but not the mainstream ones”.

Perhaps “an art film where the script is good and the director is someone like Rituparno Ghosh, Rinadi (Aparna Sen) or Buddhadebda (Dasgupta)”.

Loose talk

“If you are famous, there are good and bad stories about you. One learns to handle them.” This was the tight-lipped reply to questions about off-screen controversies and Bollywood gossip.

Miss Calcutta

“It feels great to be in the city. I miss everything about Calcutta — family, school and college friends, Bengali food….”

Item number

Her first foray into the Bollywood hall of (babe) fame might have been Khullam khulla, a scorching item number in Ram Gopal Varma’s Road, but the leggy lass shrugs off the ‘item girl’ tag. “That was some years back. We move on,” she signed off before mingling with guests and fans.