Isha Sharvani - Guys who spend hours...

Her ebony skin is embossed by a mole. Isha Sharvani is exquisite as compared to the clones that gate-crash into Bollywood everyday. But this daughter of renowned dancer Daksha Seth follows the rhythms of her heart. After a dream debut in Subhash Ghai's 'Kisna' (he selected her after seeing her passport-sized photo) she chose to retreat back to the serene environs of hometown Kerala.

She reasons, "I am reclusive. I don't have a career-strategy. I was unprepared for the industry and the changing lifestyle."

Six months later she signed Ram Gopal Varma's 'Darwaza Bandh Rakho'. She says, "It's a black comedy, an alternative film with no songs. I have portrayed a minimalist look. It's about a kidnapped girl. I have 36 co-stars!"

Yet her low profile is not to be mistaken with low-drive. "Whether you are a rock-scientist, sportsperson or an actor, ambition comes foremost. This is a cutthroat zamana. But my ambition is more in keeping with the expectations that I have of myself, be it in dance or acting."

Though she has 'Rocky' with Zayed and Mukta Arts' 'Good Girl Bad Boy' with Emraan Hashmi, Isha's ultimate dream is to do a musical, "I would love to portray contemporary dance forms in a film." Would she be game for 'item' numbers? "One can never say 'never'! If the correct proposal comes in maybe I will say yes."

Isha believes that dance and acting are incomparable, "In dance, there is only one take. An incredible amount of concentration is involved and the feedback is immediate." She owes her discipline to dance, "I am a stickler for punctuality. I sleep early as I get up at 6.30 am. By 10 am I have put in hours of practice."

So is there no place for fun and romance in her life? "When I was growing up I had a long list of qualities a perfect man should have - tall, handsome, sense of humour. But reality is different. I get put-off by guys who spend three hours before the mirror. I would like to be with a guy who makes me a better person. Someone who lets me go but also pulls me down!" And where does suave cricketer Zaheer Khan fit in her ideal concept? To this Isha only smiles and conceals a blush.