I love the bombshell tag, says Sameera Reddy

New Delhi: It is not a label favoured by most actresses in tinseltown, but Sameera Reddy embraces the bombshell tag and says that she is not going to give up the "jhatka-matka" roles just to convince others that she is a good actress.The actress who believes in `quality over quantity` when it comes to films, said that her initial films where she was portrayed as a glam doll gave her a huge fan following.

"I am happy being a bombshell, the image has worked for me. Most actresses began their career as glamorous pin-ups before being noticed for their acting talents. So bring on the jhatka matkas," Sameera told reporters in an exclusive interview. The 30-year-old beauty who surprised many with her roles in off-beat films like Buddhadeb Dasgupta`s `Kaal Purush` and the critically acclaimed `Red Alert`, said that she understands the dichotomy between mass entertainers and serious cinema and wants to do both. "I understand that there are two kinds of films, there is the kind of cinema which allows you the opportunity to be an actor and then there are the masala entertainers. I have done both. "I have done a film like Kaalpurush by Buddhadeb Dasgupta and then I also have movies like `Musafir`, where I am an out-and-out glam doll. So I do all kinds of cinema," said Reddy who was first noticed when she appeared in a video for the song `Aur Aahista` by Ghazal singer Pankaj Udhas. The actress, who is the younger sister of models Sushma and Meghna Reddy, debuted opposite Sohail Khan in the 2002 film `Maine Dil Tujhko Diya`. Her filmi career proved to be a bumpy road, but Sameera is happy that she has been able to survive without a godfather in the cut-throat industry. "In this industry everybody needs a push.I have had to work my way up. It has been a slow and steady journey and I have chosen quality over quantity," said Sameera. The actress is now looking forward to the release of her film `Yeh Honsla` directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, where she will be seen playing a woman living in a small hamlet in Rajasthan whose life changes when she learns to use a camera. "Nagesh is an amazing director and also a hard taskmaster. My character`s name is Rani and she is a woman who learns to stand up for herself and others. I`m in a ghoonghat for most parts of the film, with no make-up and it was almost an out-of-the body experience for me," said Sameera about the film. Meanwhile the actress is going places in the South Indian film industry, where she gained superstardom with her blockbuster debut `Varanam Aayiram`. Her second film `Asal` with director Gauthaman Menon too is raking in money at the box office and she has a series of lucrative projects lined up. "My first film was very well recieved and I am being offered some real good projects and meaty roles. I was away a lot last year for `Asal` which was shot in France and I thoroughly enjoyed it," said Sameera. PTI