New hottie in town: Amrita Rao

If you think Mumbai�s soaring temperature has anything to do with global warming, think again.

BT has found a plausible reason behind the rising mercury. It�s actress Amrita Rao who�s setting the pulses racing of all hot-blooded men in a sexilicious new avtar. Hot, sizzling and straight off the beaches of Mauritius, the actress shares her first look from Anil Kapoor�s film Shortkut. Bollywood�s sexy sirens need not lose heart, though. This girl�s not looking to steal their sex tags and insists that she�s still the girl-next-door

Excerpts from an interview with the new hottie in town:

You�re sizzling in this new avtar. What brought about the transition?

There�s no transition. It�s just a look I sport for a song in Anil Kapoor�s Shortkut. And the credit goes to Anil, Manish Malhotra who�s styled my look, and Bosco-Ceasar who�ve choreographed the song. As an actress, I�m just their canvas.

Were you apprehensive about carrying off such a look?

Not at all. I think every girl has a sensuous side. In fact, sensuality completes a woman. But for me sensuality is incomplete without a woman�s grace and dignity. As long as I am comfortable, I can carry off any look.

Is it a conscious effort to move away from your girl-next-door image?

No, nothing of that sort. It�s just that as an actress I get to play and discover many facets to my personality. And they are just extensions of who I am or I can be, but not the real me. Once the arclights turn off and I hear pack up... I�m back to being myself, a girl-next-door. I�m not interested in earning a new sexy image.

From the demure Poonam in Vivaah to the glam diva in Shortkut, you�re convincing...

Poonam was Sooraj Barjatya�s conviction and this look is Manish�s vision. As an actress, I always give every role my best. Fortunately my face can accommodate these makeovers and the rest is all God�s grace.

What�s your take on the size zero syndrome in Bollywood...

Almost everyone seems to be getting paranoid about their weight. It�s quite unfortunate since a lot of young kids try to ape such celebrities without realising the consequences. The aim should be to stay fit and healthy, and not attain a size zero.

Three big films coming up, you must be excited about 2008?

Absolutely! A village girl in Mr Shyam Benegal�s Mahadev, a glam�diva in Anil Kapoor�s Shortkut, and a medical student in Ajit Pal�s Victory, it�s like living three different lives in one year!

How come a hot single girl like you has no man in your life?

I am sure my man is pretty much on this planet and I am waiting for that beautiful moment when our journeys become one.