By Subhash K Jha Rahul is all set to direct his first film since Everybody Says I'm Fine. "I've acquired the copyrights for an international bestseller, not by an Indian author. I'm writing the script.

It's about the deepest roots of friendship and love I've to raise a million dollars for that. I don't want to act in it. I've sworn not to do both together after Everybody Says...."

What's with Rahul Bose and all these hot women? First it was Kareena Kapoor in Chameli, then Sameera Reddy in Kaal Purush and Mallika Sherawat in Pyar Ke Side Effects.

Now it's Diya Mirza, Nandita Das and Raima Sen who co-star with Rahul in Oriya director Manmohan Mahapatra's Hindi film. "I find it very amusing too. Quite honestly I think it's the beauty and the beast syndrome.

The challenge in working with these lovely ladies from the mainstream cinema is to have them accept someone like me after they'e acted with huge male stars.

And they come out of the crossover so well. Look at Sameera in Kaal Purush, Kareena in Chameli and Mallika is outstanding in PKSE. "

Rahul is also doing Buddhadeb Dasgupta's next and a Hindi film with Bengali director Anjan Dutta.

"It such a charming story. Anjan wants Victor Bannerjee and me in it. I'm not going to neglect mainstream opportunities. But they've to be worth my while. I've got a kick-ass English film The Whisperers coming up. "

Rahul continues to be single. "Completely single for the fifth year running....and weeping. It's just crazy. I think in the ladder of priorities acting direction, rugby and writing take up all my time. And them my social work. I've no time for relationships."

Rahul has also started taking journalistic writing very seriously.

"I like to use my pen to express myself on issues that matter. The response I get to my articles is very encouraging. Does writing have as much as cinema? Cinema has more immediate and larger impact.

It's a more personalized force for change. But both cinema and writing are over-rated vehicles of change. After that movie or article that one sees, there're too many distractions."