Salman Khan to romance Mishti in Subhash Ghais next

Newbie Mishti who made her Bollywood debut in Subhash Ghai's Kaanchi' has been roped in to play the lead opposite superstar Salman Khanin the director's next venture.

Far from being fazed Subhash Ghai's latest discovery says all the flak has made her stronger and wiser over one weekend.

Mishti said, "It's is said, what can't break you makes you stronger. These last few days have matured me. Its amazing how one weekend can change one's entire life. Today I feel stronger than I did earlier. I think I've grown up."

Not that Mishti is overjoyed by the response to the film. "That's one year of my life. During the last oneyear I did nothing except Kaanchi. It was my life. Now there is a feeling of disappointment at the way some critics have responded to the film and my presence. There is also a vacuum within me, as I've nothing else lined up at the moment."

Responding to the criticism that she is awkward and shrill in the film Mishti retorts sardonically, "I play a village girl. I don't play a city-bred chick who knows how to modulate her voice and walk as though she's on the ramp. I walk and speak clumsily because that's the way my director Subhashji conceived my character. She is not sophisticated like Aishwarya Rai in Taal."

Mishti finds the comparisons with Aishwarya unfair. "Kaanchi is my first film. I am learning. I am trying to understand the grammar of film acting. Luckily for me I got a fantastic teacher in Subhash Ghaiji. Whatever I know about acting comes from him."

She is getting ready to do another film with Subhash Ghai. "I've a 3-film deal with Subhashji. Even if I didn't have that to fall back on I wasn't going to leave just because people criticised my first film. I've several offers in Bangla. But I am not shuttling back and forth between Kolkata and Mumbai to keep my career going. I'll stay put in Mumbai fight my way through the criticism that has come to me for Kaanchi."

Mishti doesn't mind the flak. "Why should I take it to heart? Whatever is being said must be the result of careful thought. I'vetaken some ofthe criticism seriously. I will work to improve myself."

At the moment Mishti's focus is on promoting her film. "Post-release publicity is very important. We've no majorcompetition from the films on release coming Friday. We stand a good chance of getting more viewers interested in our film."