by Subhash K Jha

The girl from Bihar is going places. After her near-disastrous debut in the hit comedy Garam Masala things got a little thanda for Neetu Chandra.

But now the skies have opened up for this spunky Bihari wannabe. Not only has Madhur Bhandarkar announced Neetu Chandra for the plum role of the migrant embroidery- weaver eking out a living at the traffic signal in Traffic Signal, but she's also likely to be cast as one of the female leads in Shimit Amin's film on the game of hockey starring Shah Rukh Khan, to be produced by Yashraj Films.

For a girl who until a few years ago was just a dreamer from a small town in Bihar, the leap from anonymity to a film with the Yashraj Films banner is a dream come true.

"I wouldn't be able to comment on Shimit's film. But yes, I've auditioned for Shimit. And I've started practicing my hockey. I guess it's every girl's dream to do a Yashraj Film. If it happens to me, I'd consider myself unbelievably lucky.

Right now I'm looking at Madhur Bhandarkar's Traffic Signal as a new beginning. When I heard that he was looking for someone like Smita Patil I thought I qualified...

Not that I can compare myself with her. But I felt I fitted into the physical description of the role. Madhurji screen-tested me several times over a period of almost two months before I was on."

Now Neetu can't believe her luck. "It's almost like being born again! I showed Madhurji bits of my Kannada film Godavari which is ready for release in May. In that I sport a traditional Indian look.

And look at the coincidence...my director in Godavari is Shakeel Kamala who's also a National award winner like Madhur Bhandarkar. I guess I'm really lucky to be working with directors who have proved themselves both commercially and critically."

She admits her first Hindi film Garam Masala didn't get her career going. "But I've no regrets. I was a newcomer. I had no one to guide me. Not that I want to sound like I had to struggle... But as a new girl in Bollywood who couldn't even speak English properly I think I managed for myself.

In Garam Masala I got to work with experienced talented people like Priyadarshan and Akshay Kumar. Even John Abraham was far more experienced than me."

Now Neetu looks forward to plunging into Traffic Signal. "My mother who stays with me and I have been praying constantly ever since we heard the announcement. My father is in Delhi. But I touched his feet on the phone. Not just my parents, I want to do all of Bihar proud."

Madhur Bhandarkar is very pleased with Neetu's performance in Traffic Signal. Neetu says she identifies with the character. "I can understand how it feels to be a migrant in a big hostile city trying to live with dignity. I've been there."