By Subhash K Jha

Vishal Bharadwaj has a knack of making all his actors look completely different on screen. Whether it's Kareena Kapoor, Konkona Sen or Bipasha Basu, you see them dressing speaking behaving and acting totally differently in Vishal's Omkara.

Bipasha has two sizzling item songs in Omkara. Strangely she was very nervous performing them.

"The first day when I went on the set to perform the Bidi jalai le song in Omkara I saw the crowd and I nearly panicked and ran away. I had never seen so many unshaven, unkempt, unbathed, lecherous men in a crowded sweaty place. When I saw what I had got myself into I got really scared.

And let me tell you I'm not easy to scare.

On top it all, Saif came up to me and whispered, 'Are you...like... scared? Don't worry. You just dance. We'll take care of you. If anything happens just tell us.'

But once I started to dance it was okay. Later I came to know they were all fine actors. They had been preparing the dirty UP bhaiyya look for weeks."

Bipasha is alarmed by the authenticity in the presentation. Though she has earlier done a realistic film, Prakash Jha's Apaharan about crime in the cow-belt she wasn't really an integral part of the drama there.

She stops chuckling. "Doing item songs can get very boring. But the ones in Omkara are special. I've the highest regard for Vishal Bhardawaj. Even being cast in a small part in his cinema is an honour. Space -wise I've a small role in Omkara. But the projection is amazing.

I really like one thing about myself. I really try to look and behave like the character I play. And no matter how small my part, everyone tells me I'm convincing. As an actor that's the biggest compliment I can get."

Bipasha is frank enough to admit Omkara isn't quite her film. "It's definitely about the Ajay-Kareena love story. My character Billo started off as a special appearance. My character is relevant to the story.

People who have seen the film have enjoyed Billo. There's a lot of entertainment value attached to my character. Billo is loud aggressive and fun while everyone in the plot in the serious."

She's the spot of sunshine in the dark drama. "Omkara is a serious film. I provide the light moments. When Vishal narrated the role to me I told him it sounded like a special appearance. I was so thrilled when he told me that the first member of the cast that came to his mind was me as Billo.

I must say Vishal has great vision. Whenever a dancer's role comes to me, I get the coldest feet in the world. It's quite crazy. But my mind-blocks have gone. But I've to have a direction with a vision to cast me in a role where I've two item songs."

Bipasha chuckles when she recalls shooting the Namak item- song. "That's my favourite among my two item songs. Looking at the number you wouldn't think it was that tough. But when I heard the song it sounded difficult. And to lip-sync Rekha Bharadwaj's intricate rendition was doubly tough.

On top of that they got a dance-guruji Bhushan Lakhandri instead of a routine choreographer to do the number. I fainted.

I thought he'd expect me to be as trained and skilled in dancing as Madhuri Dixit or an Aishwarya Rai. The only dancing I knew was ...going mad in a disco." She bursts into laughter.

I did it without any training whatsoever. "But in spite of my reservations Bhushanji and Vishal had faith in me. I pulled it off. The other song Bidi just happened. It was fun to hear and fun to do and I'm sure audiences will have fun watching it."