Mallika Sherawat is a sexy siren with a mind of her own, writes SHUIB TAIB.

Mallika’s new movie Hissss will be released next year.

Mallika is still looking for her dream role.

THE Bollywood “drama” began even before the interview had taken place. After the first and second appointments were re-scheduled, it wasn’t until the third one was confirmed before it finally happened. Apparently, Bollywood sexy star Mallika Sherawat, known for her outspokenness and forthrightness, was a tad nervous about meeting the Press!

During the recent Kuala Lumpur International Film Festival awards night, Mallika had left the show earlier than expected. Her manager said she was jet-lagged...

Still, when Mallika finally showed up for the interview, she was in fine form — firm handshake, sparkling smile, flamboyant, honest as well as fine figure to boot. Mallika wore a laced kebaya top over a spaghetti strapped mini black dress!

This is her second visit in Kuala Lumpur. The last time she was here, she came with Jackie Chan.
“I love Malaysia. The food, the people, the culture. I was with Jackie Chan to promote The Myth on my first visit. It was fantastic! I just wish we could shoot more movies here,” she said.

Sitting cross-legged, with her long mane flipping every time she turned her head — not to mention her revealing attire — it is easy to see why she is regarded as Bollywood’s sex symbol. What does she think of the label?

“It’s a compliment. Marilyn Monroe was a sex symbol and so was Elizabeth Taylor. Today, so is Angelina Jolie. No, I’m not in that league yet. I aspire to be like them and have their body of work.

“I’ve not done that many films, only 12. I’m not counting guest appearances, just the mainstream films I’ve starred in. My career only began four years ago whereas they have been around for a long time,” she said, candidly adding that Gong Li is one of her idols and is among the most talented actresses.

Although Mallika has acted in many different roles (CIA agent, dancer, Indian princess), she hasn’t found her dream role.

“I’ve just finished shooting Hissss. It’s the first Bollywood movie directed by American director Jennifer Lynch (daughter of four-time Oscar nominee, David Lynch).

“That role comes close to my dream role. The movie which is expected to be released by the middle of next year is about a popular Eastern legend of a snake which takes human form to find her loved one. Animatronix effects are by Robert Kurtzman who has done work for Tom Cruise and Quentin Tarantino.

“On the screen you will see a human transforming into a snake and vice versa. It’s not computer graphics. I wore a snake suit. I had to be all glued in it. I couldn’t go to the loo for 12 hours. I was dehydrated. We were shooting in the mud and in the rain. I had leeches all over. It was tough. We were on location in the jungle for 60 days.

“My dream role would be something like Charlize Therone’s character in Monster (a 2003 biographical-crime-drama-thriller based on the life of Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who became a serial killer. Theron won several awards for this role). Or Halle Berry’s role in Monster’s Ball (as Leticia Musgrove, a prisoner awaiting execution. Both Theron and Berry won the Oscar for Best Actress for their respective roles). I want to do more of female-centric and strong roles, and drama.”

Given that Mallika is relatively new in film, she does not feel that she is stretching herself.

“I’m always thinking, ‘what am I lacking?’ Good scripts and good directors. Most top Indian directors work with top male stars. I saw Jennifer Lynch’s Surveillance which had premiered at Cannes Film Festival and it blew my mind. Then she met me and cast me.

“No, I don’t think I’m over-exposed. I have a long way to go, to prove myself as an actress and to do good films. That’s why I have one release a year. Sometimes I don’t even have a movie release in a year.”

Indeed, the woman who is comfortable in her own skin speaks her mind freely too. As eloquent as she is, which is reminiscent of Indian beauty queens who won Miss World and Miss Universe titles (Aishwarya Rai, Sushmita Sen, Priyanka Chopra to name a few), Mallika admits that it has also landed her in trouble.

“But I’m quite used to it now. When I did all these — you know, breaking rules and doing the kind of films I wanted to do, everybody said, ‘Oh my God! What is she doing?’ But today actresses are doing the same thing. In all mainstream films you see a lot of kissing and actress running around in swimsuits. So they are copying me today.

“Bollywood has a herd mentality, I don’t. I choose to go the opposite way. That’s why in my movies, there are no heroes or big leading man. They are all my movies, I carry them. And if they flop, they are my flops.”

Where “heroes” are concerned, Mallika, who has been paired up with many Indian hunks, has one person in mind that she doesn’t mind co-starring again with.

“Jackie Chan, without a doubt. He is the best co-star I’ve had. I learnt so much from him. He is just so committed to his job. If he is required to do 20 retakes, he will do it without batting an eyelid. He is so humble and dedicated. He was always there on the set before us, like half-an-hour before time. These are things which I learnt from a legend like him.”

What else did she take away from that experience?

“I think there should be more co-productions and global movies. Jackie was the first one who gave me an international break. There should be more movies featuring Indian, Chinese and Malaysian actors, for example, because the world we live in today is global.

“Our neighbour can be Chinese. We all eat hamburgers and drink Coke which is American. In fact, I just went to Los Angeles where I was honoured with a Diversity Award. Last year it went to Salma Hayek and previous year, Halle Berry.”

If you think she is proud of her achievements, you are wrong.

“I’m not humble, I’m a realist because I know all that is here today can disappear tomorrow. So I just enjoy it while it’s here. I don’t have any Bollywood award, mind you, but I have Hollywood giving me one. Hollywood appreciates me much more. It appreciates my honesty, my forthrightness and it likes the movies I’ve done.

“Indians are a little conservative. They’ve never had any actress who has been so bold and forthright ever in history so they have got to get used to my brazen ways!” she laughed. But as candid as her laughter came, it disappeared as soon as she talked about her parents. She admits that her parents are not happy with her “ways”.

“I’m upset because my parents are traditional so I don’t get support from them. I feel handicapped, abandoned and alone. But luckily my brother is supportive. He’s young. He understands that it’s just a job.

“Even Jackie once told me that he would call my father and ask him to support me,” said Mallika.

When asked what she thought about being named one of the 100 most beautiful women in the world by a Hong Kong based magazine, Mallika shrugged it off.

“I think what’s important is good acting, good work and good cinema. If you look at the top actresses, they may not be beautiful or attractive but they do such a great job at acting that we go to see them again and again.

“And that’s what I intend to do. I don’t want people to judge me,

‘Oh, she’s glamorous and sexy

but she cannot act’,” she said,

adding that All About Eve featuring

Bette Davis is her favourite movie.

On her beauty regime, Mallika attributes it all to discipline.

“I don’t drink or smoke. I’m in bed by 9.30pm every night. I’m a vegetarian. It’s a lot of hard work but I’m an actress and I need to be in front of the camera and look after myself.”

Coming from an industry which churns out more than 900 movies a year and having to fight for roles, how does she feel about the competition?

“It is good! It keeps you on your toes. It keeps you working hard and you want to do your best all the time. You don’t get lazy. Competition is great for actors,” she said, adding that she is at an exciting phase of her career as she’s reading a lot of scripts from America now.

Before the interview ended, Mallika jolted this writer with a favour.

“Can you run a quiz in your paper to find me a Malaysian husband, please? Eligible people, please apply! I’m not into physical beauty. What matters to me is a person’s mind. He needs to be intelligent,” she said laughingly before adding, “and somebody who doesn’t have bad breath! Because in my kissing scenes, most of my co-stars have bad breath!”