Rakhi wants to essay 'Phoolan Devi' kind of roles

Lucknow, Mar 20 (UNI) After doing steamy dance sequences in films, top Bollywood item girl Rakhi Sawant now wants to essay roles of substance.

''I am eager to do 'Phoolan Devi' kind of roles, in which the female protagonist is not a pushover, but a strong individual,'' Rakhi said addressing a news conference here this afternoon.

Waxing eloquent on the culture of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, she expressed her desire to work in Bhojpuri films, if given a chance.

''I would love to perform in Bhojpuri films, but only opposite Ravi Kishen or Manoj Tiwari...it should be an author backed role of a strong female protagonist,'' she averred.

The actor, however, noted that it is the audience, who finally decides the fate of the film personalities.

''Be it Amitabh Bachchan, Shahrukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai, they all have the blessings of general public behind their stupendous popularity,'' she noted.

The actor, who has more often than not made headlines for all the wrong reasons, admits to courting controversies, unwittingly though.

''The fact, that I do cannot stand hypocrisy and double-standards, does sometimes create trouble for me...but, I cannot help it. I have been this way and shall remain so in future,'' she quipped.

Rakhi is also excited about sharing the celluloid with Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan in under-production Hindi film 'Shootout at Lokhandwala'.

The film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Suniel Shetty and Vivek Oberoi.

''My dream of acting opposite Big B has finally come true. I play an actor in this film,'' she mentioned.

She is also doing ''Buddha Mar Gaya'' with Om Puri, Paresh Rawal and Prem Chopra and 'Love Game' with Randeep Hooda -- a former protege of Ram Gopal Verma.

Rakhi Sawant was here to promote her on-air sitcom ''Comedy Ka Badshah'' on Sony Entertainment Television (SET), in which she along with funnyman Raju Srivastav are judge participants.

Besides, she will also feature in a special segment on SET called 'Hamari Bahu Rakhi Sawant', where she plays a role of a modern, sexy, flirtatious and extrovert daughter-in-law.

The show also stars her real-life companion Abhishek portraying her husband, she averred.

UNI