Mallika Sherawat and Ram Gopal Varma are finally coming together.

Mallika and Ramu are a combination that was waiting to happen. In fact right after "Murder", the sizzling actress had expressed her desire to work with Bollywood's most enterprising filmmaker. Her dream took a while to materialise. But Mallika is finally getting to work with Ramu.

He had earlier offered her an item song in his film "James". Mallika had declined the offer, saying she would do an item song for Varma..."but only if it has a role attached to it."

"Now I have attached a role to her but detached the item song," chuckles Ramu.

"She is doing an episode of 'Darna Zaroori Hai', the sequel to my three-tired horror film 'Darna Manaa Hai'.

"Mallika will star in one of the three stories, which will be helmed by G.G. Philips who directed my forthcoming film 'My Wife's Murder'," Ramu says.

Philips has signed "My Wife's Murder" hero Anil Kapoor to co-star with Mallika in "Darna Zaroori Hai". Anil has been a Mallika admirer ever since "Murder".

"You have to hand it to the girl. She has guts," says Anil.

One of the episodes in the new fear-fest from Ram Gopal Varma features Amitabh Bachchan. The episode featuring Mallika will be directed by Jijy Philip.

Commenting on Mallika, Ramu says: "I first saw her in the promos of 'Murder', and I loved her attitude. In fact I became her fan from her TV interviews. I wanted to meet her, though there was no project for her at that time. Now I immediately thought of her in the role in 'Darna Zaroori Hai'.

"It required someone with grit and gumption. Mallika fitted the bill. It's only a 15-minute film. I will definitely cast her in a bigger role soon.

"She has got a really strong presence. Very few actresses have her chutzpah. In her public statements she comes across as frank, outspoken, brutally honest. I like her upfront unabashed attitude and not just her sexuality.

"I like unapologetic people. And Mallika is someone who says it like it is," says the ace producer director.