Sonali connects with Omar Sharif

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The Dil Chahta Hai actress is all set to act in an Italian film, where she will share screen-space with the Hollywood legend </span><br /><br />She can barely contain her excitement. "I am doing a film with Omar Sharif," she beams. This will probably be the high point of Sonali Kulkarni''s career -- a film with the legendary actor best known for his roles in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Lawrence of Arabia and Mackenna''s Gold</span>."I am really looking forward to it."<br /><br />For the last one and half years, Sonali has been in the throes of signing this Italian film. "I went through a screen test and a photo-session and then a final audition," she recalls. Directed by Lamberto Lambertini, the film''s title would loosely translate in English to Fire and Flames. "It''s based on a true story," explains Sonali. "I play an Italian girl, a fisherman''s daughter living on an island. A prince comes and falls in love with her." Sharif plays the prince''s grandfather. "My Italian co-star is outstanding," she says and then grins as she tries to recollect his name. "I only wish I could pronounce his name."<br /><br />What Sonali is quick to point out is that she isn''t shifting bag and baggage to Italy. "I have enough work in Mumbai," she says. The actress, whose brush with Bollywood includes Mission Kashmir and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Dil Chahta Hai</span>, says she has her hands full with films and stage plays. "I got too caught up in doing festival films to sign more Bollywood ones. But there was never any insecurity about doing commercial cinema. In fact, my song in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Dil Chahta Hai</span> was so popular that I''ve performed it at several stage shows." For now, Sonali is brushing up her Italian. "I will be learning to speak the language." And considering it''s an Italian film, she is also gearing up for the so-called hot scenes. "Oh, there definitely is a lot of hot love scenes in the film," she says, with a laugh. "But I don''t know what their treatment will be."<br /><span style="" font-style:="" italic="">caltimes@timesgroup.com</span></div> </div>