She’s certainly the queen of quotable quotes for all seasons. Ask Mallika a simple question and she comes back with a bombastic answer. You can be shocked or you can laugh – that’s your prerogative. We catch up with the actress before the release of her next controversial (could it be any other way with her?) film ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’. She’s just back from Mauritius and on her way to Hampi for another shoot. We catch up with her even while she’s in the midst of an Indiatimes chat. Luckily for us, she hardly pauses before firing off some shockers at netizens as well as our questions, in typical Mallika style. Excerpts from the talkathon...

You must have been the first actress to change her name, albeit for non-numerological reasons... Why did Reema Lamba become Mallika Sherawat?
“There were a lot of Riya Sens, Raima Sens and Reema Sens, so I thought Mallika Sherawat would sound better. And it does have a regal quality to it, doesn’t it?”

Your dad is apparently against you doing the kind of films you do...
“My dad is against everything I do. He is against me doing films, period. He is a Haryanvi Jat.”

Has the change in name changed people’s perception of you?
“Everything changes with success. Yes, people have been mean, but I guess it’s a different story now. Everyone is friendly and nice right now. But then it has always been a big struggle for those who do not have a filmi surname to their credit. Poor me, I have to do things on my own!”

Will you ever work with Kareena Kapoor again after what she said about you?
“Like I said, everything changes with success. If I get a good script, yes, I will work with Kareena.”

How awkward is it shooting in skimpy clothes on?
“I don’t feel awkward at all. Thank God people think I am sexy. I think I’m lucky!”

Whom do you seduce in ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’ - Garam Dharam, who plays a politician, or the politician’s son?
“In ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’ I’m lucky enough to be linked to both. As to whom I romance, you’ll have to watch the film for that. It releases on the 22 th of October.”

If female fans want to know your beauty secrets, what would you tell them?
“Lots of kissing in my movies – that’s the secret of my glowing skin! (laughs) On second thoughts, don’t print that, or they’ll accuse me of corrupting the youth next!”

Do you actually enjoy the kissing in your films?
“You bet! Why should I do things half-heartedly? I like kissing some of them, not all. If I have to kiss men, I might as well enjoy it, right? And, before you ask, I enjoyed kissing the hero in ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’ the most.”

Will we see you only in sexy films or will you ever do an arty, realistic film?
“My first two films were bold. And now ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’ is a comedy. I am an actress and I would like to do a range of films. But right now I am quite enjoying my self doing sexy, romantic films.”

You are accused of being desperate to expose in every film...
“Maybe that’s because I have a great body, and I am proud of the fact that I am very appealing – as every young Indian should be!”

Who is your role model?
“I have no role models. I am just being myself and enjoying what I do to the fullest.”

What was Jackie Chan’s opinion of you as a person and as an actress?
“As an actress, he wants to cast me in his next film as well, so that should answer the first question. As for the second - as a person, he calls me his ‘little princess’.”

Do you think detractors of your films are narrow-minded?
“If ‘Murder’ is the biggest hit of the year, calling Indians narrow-minded is a huge misconception. I think old concepts are going out the window right now!”

So has any prince knocked the ‘Mallika’ off her feet as yet?
“Only Jackie Chan has managed to sweep me off my feet. The Jats are busy eating tandoori chicken!”

What about marriage?
“What! What will happen to all the other men if I get married? I prefer ruling every man’s heart. I need to be looked at, not understood!”

Sex symbols have a history of being stalked. Have you ever been stalked?
“Why do you think I’ve been paying my two bodyguards such high salaries? And incidentally, one of the bodyguards is handsome, too.”

What is this controversy about the censors disrupting the promos of ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’?
“Well, I’m wearing this beautiful short red dress in the promos, and just because a little of my panty shows in one scene, they are not allowing it to be aired on television. In that case, they should stop airing all the female tennis matches, too. The Censor Board has gone ballistic and they’re scanning every scene in the film.”

We keep hearing things about your ‘friendship’ with Rekha. One day you are ‘friends’ and the next, you’re at loggerheads....
“I’m not talking about any controversy besides my film, ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’. I’ll talk about it after this film is released.”

Should the audience expect another ‘Murder’ with ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’?
“Of course not! This is a comedy. But yes, it is just as sexy. Here I get linked with a father and a son! And, while shooting for the film on the sets, I used to jump and sit in Dharam paaji’s lap! And the producer saved a lot of money on costumes, so he is very happy. And he didn’t have to hire a place to keep the costumes either, because they all fitted into his pocket!”

How many kisses will we see in ‘Kis Kis Ki Kismet’?
“Well, there are three kisses in the title itself. So that should give you an inkling. But seriously, this is a comedy film, so don’t compare it to ‘Murder’ or ‘Khwahish’. I’m playing a dumb bimbo in the film. It’s about scandals and gossip and easy money. It’s a comedy of errors. It’s a kind of Marilyn Monroe-meets-Charlie Chaplin kind of film – or a Mehmood-meets-Madhubala kind of film. Here’s a warning: All the theatres will need extra air-conditioning, because it’s gonna be very hot - kyunki Garam Dharam aur naram Mallika aag laga denge! ”