FOR those of us who remember the lanky Daisy Bopanna whizzing around town on her motorbike, all sun-kissed hair and shiny skin — it is difficult to imagine her any different.

But the girl who is now at the threshold of filmdom is a far cry from the tomboy she used to be. Tall, perfectly groomed and maximising on her exotic looks, she is all set for the new curve that life has thrown her way. Shooting is under way for a Kannada film and she also has Tamil and Malayalam films set to release shortly. And, what's next? Bollywood, she says and is even ready to relocate to Mumbai if necessary.

"I'm a restless person," she adds. "Right from my childhood, I've wanted to do unconventional things. I didn't want to do an MBA, so I joined Chitrakala Parishath to pursue my passion for painting. I soon got into television and did some programmes before getting into her bike-oriented show which I loved because I am a bike freak."

Daisy is now shooting for a Kannada film, Ranga SSLC where she plays the role of a glam gal. But she's really excited about a Malayalam film shot in New Zealand where she plays the role of a guide. "The film shows how even married women can have dual feelings," she says. "There is a twist in the end of the film which is very interesting."

Another movie in which she acted called Bimba is now going for the Frankfurt and Berlin awards. "That was one film where I was given a lot of training in acting by director Kavita Lankesh."

Daisy admits that though the industry looks glamorous from the outside, the actual work requires a lot of mental strength. "Along the way you realise that it is more than just wearing makeup and clothing," she says. "It is about learning how to deal with people, your character and how you place yourself. I didn't want to be a glamorous actress. I wanted to prove myself in other ways."

Bikes are still on top of her priority list and she still rides a high powered motorbike around town. "I love anything with speed," she smiles. "But when I was doing my television
show, I needed to be balanced and talk about all aspects of a vehicle."

Daisy has done 60 ad shoots to date, but she loves movies more. "An ad is momentary; it is just a concept. But a movie requires you to become another person and take on a new role. I am hoping to do many more movies soon and since I believe in hard work, I intend to keep at it and never lose focus till I achieve all that I've started off to do."