MUMBAI: BBC Ek Mulaqat presents a special interview with Deepika Padukone, Bollywood actress and daughter of noted sporting personality Prakash Padukone. She speaks to BBC Hindi India Editor, Sanjeev Srivastava, about her experience of working with super star Shahrukh Khan, her interest in sports, and her dream man.

Below are some excerpts from this special episode of BBC Ek Mulaqat, which is scheduled to be broadcast on BBC Hindi and on Radio One on Sunday, 3 February:

Shahrukh Khan's new look in her debut film Om Shanti Om:

While I wasn't part of the song 'Dard-e-disco', we all knew that Shahrukh was working hard on his body. I was there for the filming as I wanted to be the first to see his body, to feel it and make sure that it's for real.

Her experience of working with Shahrukh Khan:

Shahrukh is a very humble person and he doesn't make the other person feel that one is in the presence of a very big star… He guided me throughout the film and that's the reason I was able to perform well.

The character from Om Shanti Om that she identifies with:

I feel closer to the character of Shantipriya. I am a fan of Hemaji and Madhubalaji and personally, I'm an admirer of traditional Indian beauty. I prefer dressing up in traditional Indian attire.'

Her first crush:

Arjun Rampal. I think he looks very handsome. He is tall and chocolatey. I would be very happy if I get a chance to work with him. Arjun too was a model before he entered films and I got to learn a lot from him.

About Indian versus English films:

Different kinds of films are made in both places, so we cannot compare them. People often say that we should make films like them but I don't agree. We make very good films and they appreciate them too. Only we can make our kind of films and no one else can.

About media reports linking her name with cricketers Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh:

What can I say about this? People will keep spreading rumours and the media will keep writing about it, but my family and my friends know everything… I don't applaud any single player [at cricket matches]; I clap for the whole team. The cricket team is playing well and is bringing glory to the country.

On why she didn't take up a career in sports:

I was an athlete in school, used to play basket ball and I played baseball in college. Apart from this, I was a badminton player at the National level but nowadays people's attention is focussed on cricket only and so cricket alone gets importance. It's worth remembering that the country has talents in other sports too.

Her dream man:

I will not name anyone but I would like the man in my life to be something like what my father was to my mother. Women can make a long list of things their dream man should have but in the end what matters is that you should be able to lead your life with your man and both should be happy together. Good looks, money and being famous are not necessary.

About herself:

I want to enjoy everything I do and I don't want to do everything for the sake of doing it. The fun is in the journey, not in the destination.

BBC Ek Mulaqat was named the 'Most Innovative Show' at the Excellence in Radio Awards held during the India Radio Forum 2007. Every week, the show brings lively and informative interviews with some of India's most famous people, including politicians, artists, sports personalities and Bollywood stars, interspersed with the guest's all time favourite songs. Audiences across Delhi, Mumbai and Banglaore can listen to Ek Mulaqat at 12.00 IST on Sunday on BBC's partner FM station Radio One FM 94.3, and also on BBC Hindi at 20.00 IST on the same day.

The interview can also be heard on BBC's partner FM stations in seven other cities - Radio Tarang in Hisar, Radio Choklate in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, Tomato FM in Kolhapur, Radio Tadka in Jaipur and Udaipur, and Radio Chaska in Gwalior.