The talented Sushmita Sen looks headed to join acclaimed actresses like Tabu and Konkona Sen with substantial roles coming her way.

Besides Kalpana Lajmi's under-production "Chingari", Sushmita has been confirmed in Tanuja Chandra's "Runway" where she will portray a woman from Gujarat during the 1971 India-Pakistan war.

"The role is of a very strong woman and it required an actress of calibre. Sushmita definitely fits the bill. She has both the talent and the versatility to enact such a role, though I initially had Aishwaya Rai in mind," says Tanuja Chandra.

And Tanuja isn't the only one who feels so.

According to Kalpana Lajmi, Sushmita Sen has the "actress of substance" quality about her that gives her an edge over other actresses.

"It is an extraordinary performance by any means which is possible only with a committed actor," Kalpana says of Sushmita's performance in "Chingari".

In "Chingari", Sushmita plays a 16-year-old who is forced to become a prostitute after her alcoholic father sells her off. She later leads the fight against male oppression in a Bihar village.