She turned down an offer to star opposite actor Salman Khan in Wanted, which is a remake of her own South film Pokhiri, instead opting to wait for a more challenging role. That role, says South hottie Ileana D’Cruz, came for her in Barfi!, and she insists that it was the only reason why she chose to make her Bollywood debut with an unconventional film of sorts. As we catch up with the actress for a tete-a-tete, Ileana talks about her equation with co-star Ranbir Kapoor and also reveals her plans of shifting base to Mumbai. The excerpts:

Crossing over Despite her Goan roots, Ileana chose to start her career in films down South. But the actor says that she never looked at South films as a stepping stone to Bollywood. “Forget Bollywood, I didn’t even have films on my radar when I started out. So when those offers came up, I just went with the flow,” she says, adding that it was when she started getting offers here that she considered Bollywood for the first time.

Ranbir over Salman? About choosing to make her debut here with Barfi! over Wanted, Ileana insists that it was as simple as not wanting to do a role that she had already done. “For me it was not choosing Ranbir Kapoor over Salman Khan, I would love to do a film with Salman, but it was just that I didn’t want to come in Bollywood doing what I had done already,” shares Ileana.

A sweet beginning “When I think of Bollywood, I think of naach gaana and thought that I would be doing something similar. But Barfi! is far different from anything I have ever done before, so when it came along it was easy to say yes,” says Ileana. Mumbai calling Now with the actor training her sights on Bollywood, will it be adieu to South? “No, it will probably take a backseat though as my focus is Bollywood for now. I am thinking of shifting to Mumbai. Nothing is finalised yet, but I am looking out for a house here,” reveals Ileana.

The Link-up factor Ranbir has been linked with most of his leading ladies, but the actor reveals that it was something that didn’t even cross her mind. “Ranbir is a complete charmer yes, but I think his ‘ladies man’ image is a bit hyped,” laughs Ileana. “He is a fab actor and that’s what we connected more on,” she adds.

Sexy, who me? “Being sexy is new to me,” laughs Ileana when asked about her hot quotient. “I am in denial about that,” she smiles. On a serious note she adds, “I find it difficult to say where the sexiness lies. But I would be more flattered if a person told that to me after seeing me beyond the make-up, and after knowing me better personally.”