Mallika Sherawat is currently in Los Angeles and even though in the past too her frequent trips to the city have translated into rumours about her settling down in the West for good (hence resulting in doubts about her being serious as far as Bollywood is concerned), Mallika refuses to term that as a spanner in her plans for continuing as a Hindi film heroine.

"I don't think my producers in Bollywood ever felt so," says Mallika in a casual tone, "All these perceptions about me and my so-called permanent shift to Hollywood was just tabloid driven. Do I get bothered about that or think why some out there are writing like that? Naaah, not at all.

Come on, all of this has been happening to me since the days of MURDER. Jab bhi bahar gayi, har koyi keh deta tha ki ab toh yeh foreign mein jaake settle ho gayi hai. But then look at me, I am here in Bollywood for a decade and am here to stay."

Though one waits to see a global release of a Hollywood flick of hers, Mallika is content with what she has managed to achieve so far. "It's a choice that I have made and I am happy about that," she gleams, "What I am doing currently is a perfect balance between east and west. What others may perceive about me doesn't affect my life. I am not complaining at all either. I am true blue warrior, doing well for myself and that too without any famous boyfriend."