Mallika's spunk floors Sushmita

The intrepid Mallika Sherawat has an unlikely supporter in Sushmita Sen who is quite impressed with her "spirit and spunk".

The intrepid Mallika Sherawat has an unlikely supporter in Sushmita Sen who is quite impressed with her "spirit and spunk".

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"I really think she has a lot of spirit and spunk and tremendous audacity," Sushmita told IANS.

"To have come from where she has and to establish her own identity, and to have that kind of spirit couldn't be easy. But she has done it," she added.

Tell her Mallika speaks of Sushmita as some kind of a role model, and the actress smiles. "Really? I haven't met Mallika but the little that I know of her, I like her."

Mallika, who is transcending borders with Bill Bannerman's Unveiled, seems to subscribe to Sushmita's school of thought.

"I don't know what Mallika's thoughts are. But I feel every role I've played so far has been a stepping stone towards the goal that I've set for myself. To get to a summit you need to climb step by step. I think I've been climbing the stairs very steadily."

Talking about her journey in Bollywood, Sushmita said that she knew she would have to work hard to reach the top since the beginning. She never expected instant success.

"Not for a minute did I believe I had to be Madhuri Dixit just because I came into the film industry as Miss Universe. I knew I had to work hard to get there. Some people get there more easily than others. But that's life. Maybe I've made some major mistakes in my career. And I continue to make them even today. But that's part of the growing experience."

So what keeps Sushmita going and growing?

"The one thing that nourishes me constantly is my self identity. I'm very comfortable with who and what I am. I am an actress only when the camera is switched on. The minute it's over I go back to being myself.

"I don't make an effort to make other people comfortable. I feel I can't be an image for people. I have to be a real person. I have to be absolutely me."

Ask her what 'absolutely me' is, and she said: "Absolutely me is tonnes of contradictions. It's being an enigma even to myself at times. It's someone only I knew, and that too once in a while."