Vidya Balan is upbeat about her role in The Dirty Picture, a biopic based on the life of South star Silk Smitha. As a consummate actor, Balan immersed herself into Silk's character and now, in an interview with TOI, says, "I'm beginning to feel like Silk... a bit slippery. Silk was made to give Indian men sleepless nights!"

Yes. But Balan wasn't. It is hard to imagine a demure Balan playing the tempestuous Smitha, but to Balan the role presented just the challenge she craved for. "I loved it because it was the character that we were all trying to create," Balan says. "As an actor, I would like to do different kinds of roles. Bette Davis is my inspiration and like her, I want to play a new character each time."

Silk "doesn't leave much to imagination," says Balan who has seen Silk in the film Sadma and some of her earlier South Indian songs. "Silk is every woman's wild side and yet she's soft where it matters," Balan adds with a smile. "She was spunky, yet she can shock you with a straight face."

The Dirty Picture required Balan to put on a lot of weight to look like Silk and Balan wasn't wary of doing so despite knowing it wouldn't be easy shedding the weight later. "My vanity lies in wanting to look like the person I'm playing, so I don't think beyond the film," says Balan.