From the girl-next door image that had made Amrita Rao one of the most accepted and adorable faces in the tinsel town, she comes with a complete image makeover, in a hot new avatar in her forthcoming release SHORTKUT: THE CON IS ON. Our correspondent chats up with the actor.

Okay... so how have you been?
(Smiles) Great. It has been a great few years and I am just happy with the way things have been, the roles, I have come across and it's just a great feeling before the release of another film like SHORTKUT.

So tell me what is the reason behind this hot new look.
(Laughs out loud). You too got surprised and everyones getting surprised. But honestly, I didn't want to surprise anyone with a new look. I don't believe in a shortcut route to success'. So, this wasn't a planned move or choice but everything was done to fit into the role. The role demanded me to sport a new, hot, look and as I was playing an actress it was the requirement.

But your fans have always liked you as the girl-next-door?
Well, I am and will always be the way I am. I don't want to change my image to just impress the audiences. They have accepted me the way I am. And the girl next door can also look hot.

Somehow, whenever you have played a role that has moved away from a simpleton, your films didn't work like MY NAME IS ANTHONY GONSALVES and VICTORY.
Yes, both the films didn't work and whenever a film doesn't work, it hurts the people who were behind making that film. But nothing is predictable. Once a film is made every actor hopes that the film will do well but ultimately, the audience is the deciding factor.

So, you are playing an actress in SHORTKUT.