Many had pinned big hopes when this former Miss World chose to arm herself with an acting degree from the Royal Society of Dramatic Arts, London, before taking the tinsel town plunge. But just when everybody was watching out for something really interesting from Diana Hayden (picture by Sanjoy Chattopadhyaya), she?s picked a blink-and-you-miss film to launch her Bollywood career.

Ask her why she?s chosen a sleazy looking B-grade project and Diana comes up with one laborious explanation: ?Ab? Bas! is a woman-oriented film and every woman must see it. We must learn to protest and demand our respect.?

The tale of fidelity and extra-marital flings, directed by Rajesh Singh, finds Diana fighting back when her husband (Shahwar Ali of Hawas fame) puts her through mental and physical trauma.

?Ab... Bas! gave me the chance to express a wide range of emotions, from love, affection and jealousy to fear, anger and frustration. Big banners give you nice and glamorous roles. But those are fluffy and never the central characters,? she rues.

The film, shot in Mumbai, Goa and Bangkok, has Negar Khan and Calcutta girl Antara Biswas kicking up the oomph factor as the lust interests of Shahwar Ali.

?There are quite a few bold scenes in the film but those are not mine. I didn?t want to do those scenes as I feel the Hindustani sentiments are still very strong outside the metros. So, I am the Sati-Savitri type here,? says Diana, who has slowly worked her way up from a receptionist, telephone operator and managing singers like Anaida and Mehnaaz.

Born and raised in Hyderabad, the 20-something with cosmopolitan looks left school at age 14 to support her younger brother and mother after her parents separated.

?All Miss Worlds and Miss Universes are flooded with film offers as soon as they win the titles. But I didn?t do any films right then because I had signed a three-year contract with the Miss World organisers. Also, I wanted to know all about acting and so decided to take up a course at the Royal Society of Dramatic Arts.?

The acting school stint has helped her clinch an off-beat project. Leaving aside her fleeting appearance in the eminently forgettable Tehzeeb, Diana has starred as Desdemona?s friend in a South African screen adaptation of Othello. ?The film is a modern-day take on racial issues and is yet to be released,? she adds.

Right now, there?s Adaa: Will Kill You on the floors, where Diana reportedly plays her more famous namesake, the Princess of Wales. ?But nothing more on that now please,? she trails off.

Just for the record, Gulshan Grover plays Charles and Vasundhara Das his Camilla Parker Bowles.