"I am a pretty laidback person," she drawls.

We believe that.

If only we could erase the not-so-distant spat she had with her first-time director, Subhash Ghai.

And the one she had with Twinkle Khanna at a show in Dubai.

And then there's the actress' so-very-recent exit from Kitne Door... Kitne Paas, and her subsequent ire over being replaced by newcomer veejay Amrita Arora.

Yes, Mahima Chaudhry speaks her mind.

Give her interesting roles and she's hooked. Go to her with insignificant bimbo parts and you're history.

Her histrionic capabilities have been very evident right from debut film, Pardes.

The year 2000 was a mixed one for Mahima. Of the four releases she had, two were now-you-see-me-now-you-don't appearances (Deewane and Dhadkan) and two where she played the leading lady (Kurukshetra and Khiladi 420).

Barring Kurukshetra, the rest were cold turkeys at the BO.

Mahima, however, continues undeterred looking for roles she wants to do.

Sukanya Verma spoke to the actress. Excerpts:

Your only success last year was Kurukshetra. Could you describe the experience of working for the film?

Kurukshetra was good fun. There were no pressures. You just came to the sets, gave two-three shots and you were through.

Mahesh (Manjrekar) doesn't break the scenes into minute to minute shots. He is definite about whether he wants a long shot or a close-up. He is very clear in his mind, and knows exactly what he wants.

Kurukshetra has me playing a police commissioner's wife. She happens to be completely cut off from her husband's life. That was interesting to portray.

I liked the ending of the film. We wanted to see how the audiences reacted to a film from the husband's point of view. We knew all along that the film would work.

I feel good about that -- and for Mahesh and Sanju, too. We worked together in Daag and Kurukshetra and both were surprise hits.

What's with the affinity for love triangles?

Yeah, Pardes was a triangle, so were Dil Kya Karen and Pyaar Koi Khel Nahin.

Khiladi 420 was different. It was a fast-paced thriller. The shooting, too, was fast and quick. Before we knew it, the film was over. It was great working for the film.

Don't you think you are getting repetitive with the headstrong girl act film after film? Is that an echo of the real life Mahima?

Well, in Khiladi 420, I am not as smart as the other girls I have played in other films. She comes from an extremely rich family. But she is simple and full of life, if not streetsmart.

She is not dull. She is sensitive and does what the family says, but she has a mind of her own, too. In that way, it is different. I don't think I have played a character like that before. They have all been the 'I know what I want' type.
I am quite laidback in reality. Throw me off a cliff, I'll yell! *grin*

How come you haven't gone on a signing spree like other heroines?

First and foremost, the story should be interesting. Only then is there something to look forward to. Everybody likes to try something different. No one likes to repeat themselves. Unless they are terribly insecure, they stick to a popular formula. Like " Hamne comedy banaye hain, toh comedy hi banayenge" (Since we have made comedies, we should only make those.)

I have no complaints. I have been really patient. At the most, I've had three releases a year. Considering Pardes was out in 1997, I've had quite a few films released since.

But no, I haven't rushed into any project. I have taken my pick. I am doing good work and that makes me happy.

What are you working on now?

Right now, I am most excited about Priyadarshan's Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar with Sunil Shetty. It's a comedy. That was very easy and fun to work on. The film should be out early this year. We just have to shoot the songs.

My role is amazing. It's got all the ingredients of a great film -- it's a serious film presented in a lighthearted manner. I also have an important role in Rajkumar Santoshi's Lajja.