by Subhash K Jha

Bobby can't believe his luck. "And to think that I almost didn't do Santosh Sivan's Navarasa. Look at the kind of recognition it has got me!"

Bobby Darling couldn't be happier. He has been given the best supporting- actor award at the Monaco International Film Festival for his performance in Sivan's film on the life of eunuchs.

"I had to do my own makeup, wear my own clothes and even the dialogues were improvised. I had to dig a lot into my own life to make the character feasible. But finally it's all come together. I feel so elated. I couldn't be in Monaco to collect my award. But my producer Sunil Doshi has collected it on my behalf. I'm excited because it's my first award, and that to at an international venue."

Bobby says there's no regret about not getting awarded as an actress. "Yes, I do like to think of myself as a woman. Unfortunately in our country the gay community is looked on as only male. But I'm going for a sex-change operation in 2007. The process towards gender-reversal has already started. My breasts have started to form....So I'm very optimistic about my future...Mujhe zaraa bhi bahin chubta hai mujhe actress award kyon nahin mila."

Bobby feels he has come a long way since his arrival in Bollywood six years ago. "I started my career with a small role in Subhash Ghai's Taal. And now he has given me really fabulous role in his new production Apna Sapna Money Money ."

More happiness....Bobby has patched up with his father in Delhi who had disowned him for "the way I am"....

"But now we're in touch every day. He's very proud of what I've achieved. I've struggled hard to be given a place of dignity. And I think I've achieved that."