TV is my work & movies... passion: Mona

She may not be the title character of her Bollywood debut, unlike her character in the TV show that made her a household name.

Mona Singh.

And, unlike former TV star Rajeev Khandelwal who had considerable screen time in his debut Aamir, Mona Singh is part of an ensemble cast. But she isn't complaining. After all, she's making her debut in Rajkumar Hirani's much-anticipated Three Idiots, which stars Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani and Sharman Joshi.

Is this the Bollywood break she's been waiting for? "I've never really made a big effort to break into Bollywood. This project just fell into my lap," says an exuberant Mona, recalling how she bagged the role in Three Idiots. "I was in New York shooting for an award show, where I met Rajkumar. He told me he was trying to sketch a role for Three Idiots keeping me in mind. He called me to tell me about the script and the role a year later. It sounded so exciting that I had to grab it with both hands," she says.

Mona says she plays an interesting character. "I play Kareena's younger sister and my role takes a very crucial turn in the climax," she explains. The make-over queen has undergone another transformation for the film. "I'm no stranger to make-overs, given my experience on Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, but this is an entirely different look. I'm sure audiences will be shocked by it and it's quite challenging for me to carry it off," points out Mona.

So, how has Mona's experience been working with the biggies of Bollywood? "It was thoroughly enjoyable. Everyone on the cast is great to work with. I haven't shot with Aamir yet because during the first schedule of the shoot we were waiting for his hair to grow back," she chuckles. What about Kareena? "She's been really sweet. She didn't treat me indifferently because I'm someone who's come from TV or anything of the sort," she says.

But is she going to abandon TV for films? "I want maintain a balance between the two. I'm not the kind of actress who wants to quit TV to move to Bollywood. Movies are my passion. Television is my regular work. I want to give 100 per cent to both and make the most of it all," she says.