Vidya Balan talks about things that drive her, people who help her take tough decisions and her dream of being a bride You have always opted for unconventional roles. But The Dirty Picture is a complete image makeover for you. All of a sudden, we see Vidya Balan opting for different kinds of roles... I am on a trip of playing different people - living their lives, fiction or real through the characters I play. And these are the people who are so not like me. And why shouldn't I play these characters? I am getting these opportunities and I am grabbing them. A film has to have something beyond the regular song and dance for me. You know what, I want people to come out after watching each and every film of mine and say, 'This is not the Vidya we know' or 'This is not the Vidya we saw last time'. But you refused Vishal Bhardwaj's offer of Daayan... There wasn't much for me to do in Daayan.

And then Vishal did not even inform you that you were not a part of Ishqiya sequel. The producers did. Was that revenge? I don't know about revenge. But yes, Shemaroo informed me. Anyways, I had been wondering what I would do in Dedh Ishqiya. If you have seen Ishqiya, the two guys (Naseer and Arshad) had met Krishna (myself) along the way. They sure would have moved on in the sequel. But theek hai. I have no hard feelings on not being chosen for Dedh Ishqiya.

Coming back to your 'trip' of playing different characters, it seems like this is the same trip Rekha was on. Or have you become the female Aamir Khan? To a certain extent, yes. And didn't Rekhaji do it beautifully? She played so many interesting, different yet commercially viable characters. As for the second part of your question, thanks for the compliment. Whenever I have to take a risky decision, I think of Aamir and Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Those two simply defy rules. But on both counts, I still have to go a long way yaar.

Still, how did you do The Dirty Picture? You are such a shy and inhibited person. Were you comfortable sitting with your parents when the promos went on air? Well, I always tell my parents everything I do. So they knew that in The Dirty Picture, I was playing a role that was.... (thinks hard for too long)

Blasphemous? No, not blasphemous. Risky is the word. But they knew that I was in safe hands. They had seen Milan Luthria's work, Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai. And they knew Ekta since my Hum Paanch days. But yes, I did feel awkward sitting with them when the promos were first telecast. However cool and evolved I maybe, I am never going to coochie-coo with my boyfriend in front of them. Hence, watching my intimate scenes with the actors, along with my parents was never going to be easy.

By boyfriend you mean Siddharth Roy Kapoor. So, what's his take on The Dirty Picture? No. He doesn't have any issues with my work. You had to use prosthetics in The Dirty Picture. How was the experience? Well, all I can say is that I have worked with Amitabh Bachchan in Paa. After that, if I say using prosthetics was difficult, I would sound spoilt. So I won't say.

But you are seriously getting bolder. What if Raj Kapoor was alive and offered you Mandakini's role in Ram Teri Ganga Maili? I would have loved to work with Rajji. But that's not what we're asking... (Smiles) You! Well, I don't think he would have made Ram Teri Ganga Maili in today's times. But yes, I must say that I would have loved to do his Satyam Shivam Sundaram.

Bipasha had objected to your on-screen pairing with John Abraham. Now that the two are no longer together, would you work with John? Would you want to work with John in Sanjay Gupta's Shootout At Wadala? I was always okay to working with John. I still maintain that. But I still have to meet Gupta for the narration.

Would you be okay to working with Shahid? Depends. The script will be the decisive factor. Coming back to your boyfriend. There are rumours of you and Siddharth buying a house near Rizvi college in Bandra? Nonsense. My house in Khar is pretty new. Ek toh sambhal loon. But the two of you are rock steady. Some time back, there were rumours about the two of you getting married. If I was in a relationship I couldn't talk about, I would never have been in it to begin with. I am in a very happy space with Siddharth. Yes, I want to get married. I want to be a bride. But I am not married yet.