Former Miss Universe and Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen says her depiction of a village prostitute in her new film Chingari, was emotionally draining and that she couldn't let go of the character even after the shooting was over.

Sush also admitted that she was no longer upset with her newcomer co-star in the film, Anuj Sawhney, who infuriated her by bragging about their reportedly intimate kissing scene, and how there had to be 36 retakes.

The film, Chingari, a story of how a prostitute fights back to avenge her humiliation and exploitation, was shot in the rural region of Satara in Maharashtra and is scheduled to be released this month.

It is directed by art house filmmaker Kalpana Lajmi. "(My character) is a woman I admire and like me, I would like everyone to take a part of her home with them," Sushmita was quoted as saying.

"I began to talk, walk and behave so much like (the character) ‘Basanti' that after the film was over it was difficult to extricate myself from within her."

Sushmita's character is an illiterate girl, who is sold into prostitution at age 14 in a village dominated by a priest, and gives birth to a child without knowing the identity of the father.

Veteran actor Mithun Chakraborty plays the priest, who is secretly involved in the prostitution business. "Chingari deals with a sensitive issue, prostitution... All our efforts have been directed at treating the subject with dignity," added Sushmita. "It is a simple narrative grounded in a harsh reality, a journey of a revolt."

Sushmita had refused to be part of the publicity for the film, when she came to know that Sawhney had highlighted the sexual content in the film rather than the subject. However, she was later persuaded by Lajmi to give media interviews on the subject.

She said she was not ruffled anymore by the controversy. "I like people, that's why I chose this profession, and I don't get angry or upset easily," she said. "I know Anuj is not a bad guy. He is just childish."

Mithun Chakraborty had also expressed his sadness saying that he was upset over the episode. "What can I say? I personally detest this kind of publicity and I don't believe it helps a film. Anuj should be indebted to Sushmita for having agreed to work with a newcomer like him."