HOT SINGLES!

Abhishek Bachchan
Dark darling
Do we really have to justify Junior B's place on this list? Didn't Sushma Reddy say it all when she said she wanted to marry him? Not have a scene, fling or one-night-stand, but marriage! From a gauche country boy in his debut film to the suave Bluffmaster that he is today, Abhishek's confidence comes from someone who's been to hell and back, but held on and survived the ride. At first he had a broken engagement to his credit, but now he has a string of broken hearts.

The quintessential mama's boy, Abhishek is always hovering protectively around his mother, and is not embarrassed about idolising his dad. Do his obvious family values appeal to the Indian female psyche? Maybe, but so do his dark good looks, lanky frame and newly acquired muscles and dancing skills. However, girls hold back, because this hottie seems to have a penchant for light-eyed beauties and insiders swear that a former Miss World is responsible for the twinkle in his eye.

Mallika Sherawat

Gotta-have-it girl
Her in-your-face attitude and in-your-face assets first shocked, and then slowly spawned a number of admirers. At first it seemed cool to pick on this bindaas Bollywood babe (remember Koffee with Karan? Not a show went by without the nudge-nudge, wink-wink routine whenever her name was brought up), but soon even the likes of Sanjay Leela Bhansali declared that she was the next big thing, and Mallika-bashers slowly retreated.

So what makes Mallika sexy? Surprisingly, not her sexy pout, gravity-defying cleavage or even her toned midriff. It's her "If I want it, I gotta have it" attitude. Men swear that there's nothing sexier than a woman who knows what she wants and is not embarrassed to make a grab for it. And proof of that is the character of Sheena Mallik in the serial Bombay Talking which is said to have been "inspired" by her. After all, isn't imitation the best form of flattery?

Sania Mirza
Holding court

Reams of newsprint have been used in discussing her nose ring, slogan tees and glasses. Ever since Sania blossomed from a slightly podgy teen into a savvy adult (yes, 18 does qualify you to adulthood), she has become the darling of the nation.
Sania is also the face of several large brands and can boast of commanding a fee that surpasses that of many senior cricketers. In fact, after a ramp appearance, she was even offered several film roles. But strangely enough, the Sania with streaked hair and glossy lips is not what appeals.

Guys swear that it's the Sania on court that sets the libido racing. And no, it's not the short tennis skirts that do the trick. "Watching her race across the courts and smash the ball in a display of raw power is such a turn-on. Especially because you can see that she's so focused on the game and not at all aware of her hair or clothes or anything," says Pico Khanna, Mumbai-based graphic designer. And he has a nation of men who agree: Sania is sexy because she doesn't know it.

Konkona Sen Sharma

Kolkata knockout
Because of the "Sen Sharma" in her name, many believed that Konkona is married. But she explains that Sen is her mother's family name and Sharma is her father's. "When I was very young, I was given a choice as to which name I wanted to keep. So I diplomatically chose to keep both since I didn't want to offend any one parent by leaving their name out."

Konkona's love life has been a mystery — there have been no link-ups, no "just good friends". Is she as squeaky-clean as her onscreen image? Apparently not, because the actress was once involved with her co-star Ankur Khanna, who starred with her in Amu and is currently working with her in Naseeruddin Shah's directorial, Yun Hota To Kya Hota. They were college buddies and Konkona admitted they were together at one point of time, but not any more.

The latest link-up is with Ranvir Shourey. Are they an item? "Konkona and I are good friends; we are not seeing each other. If it changes, I will let you know," said Ranvir. So till it changes, the dusky beauty makes the list for being the kind of girl you want to take home to ma