Isha Koppikar doesn't mind being identified as a sexually liberated shocker as long as she gets to do performing roles - like in "Girlfriend".

Lately cavorting in a waterfall to the "Bhor phaye panghat pe" music video, a la Zeenat Aman in "Satyam Shivam Sundaram", Isha in person strikes one as the last candidate for a sex symbol.

The "Khallas" item song in "Company" created a clean before-and-after effect in her career.

"I know," she giggles happily. "I agree 'Khallas' completely changed my image. Earlier I had played sober girls - the next-door type in southern films.

"When I heard the 'Khallas' number, it came across to me as a very hot number. I thought I may not be able to do justice to it," she said.

That's when director Ram Gopal Varma stepped in.

"Ramu had a vision and faith in me. He said: 'Leave it to me! When you see how I shoot the song you'll know why I took you.'

"I left it at that. After we shot I realized what he meant. People told me: 'It's very difficult to have done such a hot number and yet not look vulgar.' I guess my face looks vulnerable," Isha maintains.

Isha says she is glad to have found a success route.

"Believe me, it isn't easy for a girl who comes from a non-film background. You've to prove yourself at every step. After 'Khallas', I proved I could move well and look glamorous.

"But, believe me, all I was offered after 'Company' were item songs... until 'Qayamat'".

In that film, Isha shocked audiences by forming a sizzling sexually charged alliance with Arbaaz Khan and Sanjay Kapoor.

"Then my struggle started again. I started getting cameos and negative roles. If I was a star child, I'd have Subhash Ghai, Yash Chopra and Sooraj Barjatya waiting to sign me for lead roles on a platter from day one."

Isha agrees she shocked people in "Qayamat", as she has done in "Girlfriend".

"I love to shock people... Up till now I've carried it off with dignity. Even in 'Girlfriend', where I play a lesbian, there's a lot more to the role than mere shock value. I've a great performing part. I'm the hero of 'Girlfriend'."

So what does that make her co-star Ashish Chowdhary? Isha laughs pleasurably. Then she sobers down.

"You know, playing a lesbian wasn't easy. I had to do a lot of homework. I had no reservations about accepting the role. I'd be a fool to turn down an author-backed heroine-oriented role. But I had reservations about how I'd play the part. It isn't every day that heroines get a part like this."

Isha is happy about the curiosity value attached to "Girlfriend" and admits there are shocking scenes between her and Amrita Arora.

"There's a lovemaking scene between us. But it isn't as explicit as the one in 'Fire'. It's a performing role and a trend setter for the Hindi film heroine. My character and performance will be landmarks."

Then Isha comes down to earth and the conservative Maharastrian in her speaks up.

"I don't want to be known only as a shocker. I took my mother and brother for a trial of 'Girlfriend'. I had my fingers crossed. They loved it! I pointedly asked my brother if he found the lovemaking scene vulgar. But he said no. It's important for every individual to know how far she can go, and no further."

And what about "Inteqaam", where Isha plays Sharon Stone's role in the Hollywood shocker "Basic Instinct"?

"None of those sexually implicit scenes from the original are there. I can't do the things Sharon Stone did in 'Basic Instinct'.

"I won't do anything I'm not comfortable with because I'll end up looking vulgar."

In the same breath, she admits she wants to move on.

"I want to do films with top-ranking leading men. That gets you noticed. I've worked with two generations of heroes: Suniel Shetty in 'Rudraksh' and Manoj Bajpai in 'Inteqaam' and now Tusshar and Ritesh in 'Kya Kool Hain Hum'.

"Who knows, one day I'll co-star with Shah Rukh Khan. I admire him for being an outsider who made it into the film industry. I know I'm going to make it as big as him."