2008 seems to be the year of the swashbuckling divas. We just had our aesthetic fill of Aishwarya Rai crossing swords in sensuous slashes with Hrithik Roshan in Jodhaa-Akbar.

Just when Sushmita Sen is heavily into pre-production work for her bio-pic on Rani Laxmibai, another Sen has silently slipped into Laxmibai's land to shoot a swashbuckling epic with the Lord Of The Rings star Sean Bean.

Nandana Sen can barely contain her excitenent. "I'm currently transported to another era. I'm playing a 19th century princess opposite Sean Bean, shooting in Orchha (Madhya Pradesh) for a British production called Sharpe's Peril.

It's a huge Indian Jones styled extravaganza directed by Tom Clegg. I'm having super-fun being a feisty horse-riding princess sparring with a swashbuckling Sean Bean."

The action scenes are a novelty for Nandana. But working in international projects with international stars is not. Earlier she did Hunt Hoe's Seducing Maria,Mikel Alzola's Forever and Joseph Castelo's The War Within, all with an international cast and crew.

But nothing as exciting as Sharpe's Peril. Actually they had wanted me for the earlier episode in the ongoing series. But I couldn't do it."

Says the breathless actress, "I'm shooting in a city plush with temples and forts. Yes, Orchha is is Rani Laxmibai's hometown. I'm having a blast as a 19th century rebel princess, riding horses and most importantly warring with Sean Bean."

But the war is strictly professional. On the sets, Nandana known to be aloof and withdrawn, is having a blast bonding with Bean.

"We've shot together for more than a week. He's a reserved, aloof, and so am I. He's also a lot older than I am. But we get along really well. It's fun...Firing bullets, the whole ancient- warrior thing I've never done it before."

Nandana will be in Orchha and Khujaraho for several weeks before completing the latest episode in the ongoing adventures of British soldier Richard Sharpe.

The film will first be released in theatres and then later goes on television.