Bipasha Basu on her brief sabbatical from films and why it is important to enjoy her single status right now... A chirpy Bipasha Basu, on her second trip to Ahmedabad in the last two months, looks refreshing and stands tall in her slender frame. A self-confessed foodie, she admits to "enjoying Gujarati thalis". In a chat she talks on why relationships fall apart today, pressure on women to get married and why she only follows her opinion when it comes to kissing and showing skin on screen...

After a brief sabbatical, suddenly, you have a lot of releases in 2012. It was a personal decision to stay away from films. However, if you ask me 'why', I am not going to tell you. Do you feel even today there is pressure on women to get married if they have crossed a certain age? There are two kinds of single individuals: Either they are single by choice or just single.

I belong to the category of being single by choice. I have been on the other side and have been in relationships since the age of 15. There is no point in rushing into something wrong just to get married. You must know how to take care of yourself and find happiness. Every relationship has its share of attraction initially, but later it boils down to companionship. You need to be alone and be your best companion. Only when you are happy, it's reflected in your relationships with friends. If you have a positive attitude in life, you find your real soul mate. Even if there is a lot of pressure from friends and family to get married, I have to grow beyond these pressures. If you want a baby then there are sperm banks. Personally I still believe in fairy tale romances and know that my soulmate will come to me. I have two married friends and they advise me, 'Bipasha, drag this as long as you can.'

Why are married couples advising singles to enjoy their single status? Why do you feel relationships are more fragile now? In my parents' generation couples were much happier. While mom and I have a lot of similarities, our level of independence is different. A woman today is not ready to take the slightest amount of dirt from a man. Believe me there are meek and calm women who keep all this negativity simmering within and one fine day when they break down, the ugly truth comes out. The equations between men and women have remained the same - men still do what they do, but since women have become independent, they want to follow their hearts as well. When both partners realize that there is no love between them then there is no point to carry on! Forget tolerance, lack of love between couples is resulting in separation after years of togetherness. But having said that, no I am not a feminist nor am I a cynic. But I will definitely take time to choose my soulmate.

You've been friends with costars who're younger than you. I was in a serious relationship with someone who was seven years older than me. I don't mind dating someone between 28-35, but he should be free-spirited and flexible. But I can't date anyone younger than 28. My friends will laugh at me. (Laughs).

You recently made a statement that screen kissing frightens you. But you've done such scenes before. Kissing is a very intimate experience. But kissing is an integral part of movies. I prefer lovemaking scenes where we are wearing these off-shoulder dresses and play acting. It might sound stupid, but kissing scares me.