/> Sushmita Sen, currently shooting for Ram Gopal Varma's Sholay is faced with a criminal charge filed by a lawyer from Madurai for commenting on the irrelevancy and hypocrisy behind the whole idea of chastity.

After a long hard day of grueling dramatic scenes with Varma, the last thing Sushmita needs is to be reminded of a vague observation from the back of the beyond.

"I tell you, I'm so much in demand," she drips sarcasm. "This chastity thing, I'm not aware of this gup-shup. I don't remember making comments on this subject. 'Chastity' isn't a word I usually use. Can you please define chastity for me?

I'm not in the habit of shooting off my mouth about sex men and morality. But if I'm pointedly asked a question on these subjects I'd obviously answer directly. Why should I dodge questions on these topics?

I'm 31 years old, and apparently a member of a democratic society where one has the right to speak one's mind, right. Apparently some people think I'm too young to talk on touchy topics."

Sushmita says she is a totally non-judgemental live-and-let-live person. "Ultimately you have to live with your own conscience and morality. When one lives by certain principals and moral ground-rules one has only oneself to answer. My code of conduct should upset no one except maybe my immediate family.

Trust me, I'm a responsible citizen. I'd never be frivolous about issues that concern society at large. The worldover specially in third-world countries, there're the highest number of unwed teenage motherhood. That's because of the code of silence applied to matters pertaining to pregnancy."

Sushmita isn't too concerned with a concept as ancient as chastity. "I live my life the way I want to. You may put me on a pedestal. But I'm finally a human- being. And my words express my thoughts at a given time. As a celebrity I'd rather talk about social issues than conceal them.

For example do you know of how many children committed suicide in the last year and a half because of failure in school examinations? That's basically peer and fear pressure. Why not talk about issues that affect our children's lives?

I tell my daughter Renee to share everything with her mother. I tell her there's no right or wrong in the world. But Mama can give her an alternative option."

Sushmita firmly believes in applying her celebrity status and experiences to a larger good. "Forget about my celebrity status. Even as human being with some experience behind me I've the right to voice my opinion.

I'd much rather have no adulation from outside than to not be able to look myself in the eye. If I can't live with my conscience what's the point of the whole world going wah-wah? According to me being conservative is about following guidelines laid down by the heart. I may be wrong in doing so.

But I'd rather follow the call of my heart, mind and body than follow rules put on paper by someone else. Finally you've one life to live, and you have to live it by your truth."

Now she really warms up to the subject. "I'm not an iconic demon creating havoc in the tranquil pool of morality. Just to remind you, at 18 I became Miss Universe. That title brought appreciation for our country. Do we want us to be global citizens or frogs in the well?

In the present context I'm pretty confused about socially acceptable behaviour. If voices questioning morality and raising social issues are shut down then why have television or any other software that brings information into our homes?

I'm always willing to learn, be it the definition of morality or the meaning of a new word...Would we rather live in ignorance? I'm sorry I'm a woman of the world. This world."

As for the gentleman who has sued her, "God bless him. I hope something good comes out of it for him. I'd really like our courts of law to guard basic human dignity and that means safe-guarding any individual's right to voice an opinion, even if he or she is a celebrity. Is it all worth it finally?

I've my days when I think the pressure of being answerable is too much. But then I think, why would God put me in the place where I am if he wanted me to give up? Let me remind my critics, the stronger you hit out at me the more convinced I am of my rightness."