<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115356.cms" alt="/photo/1115356.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Mallika Sherawat poses during red carpet arrivals for director Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller''s in-competition film </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Sin City</span><span style="" font-size:=""> on Wednesday.
</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />How is this for confidence? Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat, in Cannes for the first time, likened herself to Brigitte Bardot, Grace Kelly and Madonna all in one sentence. <br /><br />"A whole new market has opened for me," she told Reuters. <br /><br />"The response of European media and American media here towards me has been fantastic, it has been great... I''m going to grab this chance with both hands."<br /><br />Asked whether she was daunted by the competition for producers'' and directors'' attention in the crowded resort, she replied: "There is no competition honey, there is no competition."<br /><br />During the red carpet arrivals for director Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller''s in-competition film <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Sin City</span> on Wednesday, she came clad in white – in a low <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">choli</span> and a high-slit skirt.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115357.cms" alt="/photo/1115357.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Mallika Sherawat is shutterbugs’ delight as she poses during red carpet arrivals for director Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller''s in-competition film </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Sin City</span><span style="" font-size:="">. </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br /><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Miss Fit</span><br /><br />Back home, Mallika’s daring ensemble has not only captured eyeballs, but also the imagination of designers.<br /><br />"One needs guts to wear an ensemble like this on the red carpet, where everyone is watching – but she’s pulled it off,� says designer Nikhil Mehra.<br /><br />“The ensemble goes perfectly with her siren image, it''s so very Mallika. She represents the new breed of Bollywood – the strong, confident young woman.�<br /><br />“Mallika isn''t renowned for her acting skills, she''s known for her sexiness and flaunts it proudly," he adds<br /><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115372.cms" alt="/photo/1115372.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Jackie Chan and Mallika Sherawat pose during red carpet arrivals for </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">Sin City</span><span style="" font-size:="">. </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Agress designer Ranna Gill: "With Mallika, what you see is what you get – she has no pretensions and she can carry off what she wears.�<br /><br />“This particular ensemble is extremely oomphy, but that''s Mallika for you. Had she worn this ensemble for a conservative event in India, it would have been out of place.�<br /><br />“But Mallika is at Cannes, where revealing is chic and she''s hobnobbing with the bold and the stylish like Paris Hilton... it''s not misplaced at all."<br /><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section4"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115329.cms" alt="/photo/1115329.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Actress Mallika Sherawat kisses Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan at a photocall for Hong Kong director Stanley Tong''s film </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">The Myth''</span><span style="" font-size:="">during the 58th Cannes Film Festival. </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Miss Misfit</span><br /><br />However, certain designers feel that Mallika''s ensemble is over the top and leaves nothing to the imagination. <br /><br />"We all concede that Mallika has a great body, but this outfit gives it all away," says Puja Nayyar.<br /><br />"The outfit goes with her image and is too predictably her. There could have been an element of surprise to make her look sexier.�<br /><br />“The ensemble doesn''t excite me. It would have been better if there had only been one revealing element in the outfit - either the neckline or the legs.�<br /><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section5"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115330.cms" alt="/photo/1115330.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Mallika and Jackie Chan share a light moment during the photocall. </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />“Plunging necklines are in, and the deep-cut choli looks sexy, but there should have been just a hint of the legs showing."<br /><br />Puja suggests a different combination with the <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">choli</span>: "The <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">choli </span>could have been worn with a voluminous skirt or jodhpuris with 2-3 belts at the waist to accentuate the lower half of her body, which is sexy."<br /><br />Designer Varun Bahl isn''t too impressed either. <br /><br />"At a prestigious film festival like Cannes, Mallika could have dressed more stylishly,� he says.<br /><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section6"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115335.cms" alt="/photo/1115335.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Mallika poses at photocall for </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">The Myth</span><span style="" font-size:=""> at Cannes Film Festival </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />“What she is wearing is not fashionable, it''s like fusion wear. There are better ways of dressing up to look Indian.�<br /><br />“The ensemble has less style and more skin. It''s a definite no-no, according to me."<br /><br />At the photocall on Tuesday, Mallika wore a low-cut golden dress and posed with Chan, minutes before the press conference began. <br /><br />Sherawat wore enough jewellery in keeping with her status as an "Indian princess".<br /><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section7"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115333.cms" alt="/photo/1115333.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">The team of </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">The Myth, </span><span style="" font-size:="">from left to right</span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">, </span><span style="" font-size:="">Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Ka Fai, Mallika Sherawat, director Stanley Tong, Korean actress Kim Hee-Seon and Jackie Chan. </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />At the press conference on Tuesday, Sherawat began by graciously commenting: "I would like to thank Jackie Chan and Stanley Tong for giving me this opportunity to star in this film.�<br /><br />“It’s a very big break for me. Bollywood will always be very important (for me) because that’s my bread and butter. But the whole world is becoming global now."<br /><br />While Sherawat shone and sparkled, her co-actress, Kim Hee Seon, a Korean, was equally elegant and exquisitely beautiful. <br /><br />Also present in the conference were <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The Myth</span>''s director, Stanley Tony, and the actor, Tony Leung Ka Fai.<br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section8"><div class="Normal"><br /><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script></div> <div align="center" style="position:relative; left: 0"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" align="center" border="0" width="71.0%"> <colgroup> <col width="100.0%" /> </colgroup> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><img src="/photo/1115334.cms" alt="/photo/1115334.cms" border="0" /></div> </td> </tr> <tr valign="top"> <td width="100.0%" colspan="1" rowspan="1" style="" valign:="" top="" background-color:="" f3f3f3=""> <div class="Normal"><span style="" font-size:="">Jackie Chan and Mallika strike a pose for the shutterbugs. </span><span style="" font-size:="" font-style:="" italic="">(Photo: Reuters)</span></div> </td> </tr> </table></div> <div class="Normal"><br />Chan explained that although he was keen to collaborate with Bollywood – and if he ever made a film himself he would go into partnership with India – the Indian involvement in <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">The Myth</span> was for him "a coincidence". <br /><br />Mallika said that "India and China coming together" also appealed to her. <br /><br />She added, "It’s a great opportunity for me to be working with a superstar like Jackie Chan (and also with) Stanley Tong. It’s a role to die for. (For me) it’s a great debut internationally."</div> </div>
