Trust the lovely Hema Malini to call a spade a spade. While everyone has already commented on the shockingly abbreviated size of her role in Ravi Chopra’s Baabul, the outspoken ‘Basanti’ has so far kept her peace. “That’s because I hadn’t seen the film. Finally, I saw the first half in Kuala Lumpur at GIFA and the second half in Delhi later. Frankly, I am shocked. Where am I in the film? I just seem to be hanging around while Amitabh, Salman and Rani look like a whole family.”

Wasn’t she aware that the drama centred on the characters played by Amitabh and Rani? “I was aware. But surely I could’ve been part of the main drama. Instead, I look like an outsider! After Baghban the audiences wanted to see more of me and Amit together. Everyone thought we made a terrific couple. Now everyone is disappointed. What was the need to sign me? My role could’ve been played by anyone else.”

Worse still is the fact that the Dream Girl has been captured in very unflattering closeups. “I’ve been very badly photographed. Why? I don’t have a clue. I don’t think I’ve ever looked so bad. In fact, I called up Renu [Mrs Ravi Chopra] and put in my complaint.”

But all said and done Hema Malini is more than willing to work with Ravi Chopra again. “They’re a wonderful unit, very professional and easy to get along with. I had a wonderful time shooting both Baghban and Baabul.”

She has been offered another film, a remake of the Clint Eastwood-Meryl Streep drama, The Bridges Of Madison County. “But I am willing to do it only if my role is well-defined. At this stage of my career I don’t want to be a prop.”

In Delhi attending Rajya Sabha Hema has just finished putting together an idea for a project which would star-daughter Esha Deol in an exotic avataar. “It’s an ambitious project. But I think I’m allowed to be ambitious, aren’t I?”