Mallika Sherawat has not been in public view since her TV advertisement promoting 7Up. However, limiting her public exposure is one thing, abstaining from promoting a film, that is important to her career is another.

Speaking with Zee News director Saket Chaudhary attempted to brush aside Mallika's total absence from the promotions of the recently released Pyaar Ke Side Effect..

"I don't know the exact reason. I know the fact that she was shooting for a film and was in Kerala till yesterday. I think she will be back today but I have no idea what she plans to do as far as promoting the film is concerned."

However, instead of clearing the air, Chaudhary's explanation appeared to reinforce the suspicion that Sherawat's absence was not happenstance.

It is possible that by distancing herself from its promotion, Sherawat may be attempting to minimize her stakes in the box office success of Pyaar Ke Side Effect. However, her absence isn't likely to go down well with film makers.

Considering the fact that very few of them are looking for her as it is, and that she has had a temporary ban imposed on her by IMPAA in July 2004 for breach of contract, Sherawat does not appear to be playing her cards right.

Yet another controversy that has surfaced about Sherawat. This one concerns her age. Sherawat, who started her film career as Reema Lamba but later changed her name to Mallika, since there were other Reemas in the film world, may not be 25 years old as claimed by her mother. Instead, she could well be 35 years old!

Zee News today showed Sherawat in a group photo taken in 1995 when she was working as an airhostess. Records show her age then to be 24 years old!