Now, after Rani Mukerji, it's Kareena Kapoor's turn to play a deaf and mute girl.

"Yes," she confirms. "But the character and the film are nothing like Rani Mukerji and Black. Though I play a physically challenged person, the film, directed by Priyadarshan, is a comedy on the vagaries of life. I'm looking forward to working with Priyan again. I've just completed another film with him -- yet untitled -- where I pair up with Salman Khan for the first time. Audiences are going to faint when they see how good Salman and I look together."

And who will co-star with Kareena in the Priyan's film? "Shahid," she giggles.

"Shahid and I are also doing a film with Abbas-Mastan, called 36 China Town. It's a romantic comedy where I get to do something I've never done before," she says.

After Aitraaz and the way Priyanka Chopra walked away with all the praise, isn't Kareena skeptical about working with the director duo again? "Not at all!" she exclaims. "In fact, I was offered Priyanka's role in Aitraaz. But at that point of time, I was doing Fida where I had a negative role. I got cold feet about doing another bad girl act. In any case, I'm really happy for Priyanka. Aitraaz made her career, and she deserves success."

In Ajnabee, another Abbas-Mastan film, apparently Kareena did not get along with costar Bipasha Basu at all. "That's ancient! I've put that behind me. Bobby (Deol) and I had also quarreled during Ajnabee. Now, we're working together in Suneel Darshan's Dosti, though we aren't paired together," she says.

Of course, it's beau Shahid Kapoor whom Kareena is most excited about teaming up. "We have another film called Milenge Milenge that's ready for release. I think our comfort level translates very well as on-screen chemistry. The reason Fida didn't work was because audiences wanted to see us as a pair, not as enemies."

"But I'm on voluntary retirement now. My sister, Karisma, has been with us for months now. My entire focus is on just one person -- my little niece. Karisma, my mom and I are simply putty in her hands. She's absolutely the most important person in my life, Shahid notwithstanding!"

There are important career decisions to be made. "I'm about to sign two of the most important films of my career. I've made some serious career blunders. But that's behind me now. I want to go into a new phase in my career with a clean heart and positive attitude. I've become a far more positive person than I used to be. I think my niece's birth has calmed me down."