/> Konkona has found a new holiday haven. "Spain is my current favourite. I love to travel. And I often do so alone. I love the feeling of a new place. I make friends quite easily. I was in Japan recently on my own. And I made a couple of life-long friends. Travelling broadens my horizon for sure."

She's so often out of the country, she could well be the Preity Zinta of the avante garde cinema.

"Is she out of the country so often? I don't know. I love travelling alone. I've just returned from Spain. I was on the jury for Asian Film Festival. It was the first time on a jury for me.And I had a great time catching up with films I hadn't seen. Believe it or not, it actually rained in spain, ha!"

On 11 may Konkona left for the US for two festivals in Pittsburg and Maryland where two of her films Amu and 15 Park Avenue were to be shown.

She returned on 22nd to Mumbai and headed straight for Karjat to join Madhur Bhandarkar's Traffic Signal.

"It was a four-day cameo. I had a tough time accommodating the dates. But I couldn't say no to Madhur. Look at what he did in Page 3. And I wouldn't want to say no anyway to a role like this. It's a really challenging role of a prostitute. I'd a nice challenge to get the body language and lingo in place."

Considering how saucily Sharmila Tagore, Shabana Azmi and Preiti Zinta played a tart inGulzar's Mausam, Lekh Tandon's Doosri Dulhan and Abbas-Mustan's Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, Konkona has a hard act to follow up. " It requires me to be street-smark spunky and sassy and earthy. I haven't done these things in any of my roles."

She has another cameo in Vishal Bhardawaj's Omkara. "I'm cast opposite Saif Ali Khan, can you believe it?! It's not a big role. But it's interesting enough."

She's kicked about about Rituparno Ghosh's Sunglass which starts shooting in July. "Because I always enjoy working with Rituda. My just-released Dosar was very interesting. I'm so lucky to have done a black-and-white film in this day and age. I liked my character because she doesn't get cowed down by her husband's infidelity.

She fights it out. And Sunglass is my first bi-lingual so I get to speak in Hindi and Bengali. Both are languages I'm not completely at home in. Since my leading man changes in the two versions I'd get an interesting perception on the same theme through two different languages and co-stars."

What about Rani Mukherjee being her closest contender for the National Award ? "Rani in Black is simply outstanding. She must get it. I've already got one (for Mrs & Mrs Iyer). So even if I miss it for 15 Park Avenue I wouldn't be heartbroken."