AISHWARYA RAI

"Whoever is on top is the dream girl. I feel it is Aishwarya Rai", Hema told reporters on being asked who, according to her, deserves to bi called the 'dreamgirl' nowadays.

Taking about the hardships an actress has to face, she said. "An actress' life is the same-nothing has changed. It is what it was even 20 years back. They have to work very hard, make themselves look beautiful and need a lot of dedication to remain at the top. "said Hema, who was in this suburb of the national capital Monday to felicitate winners of supermarket Big Bazaar's ' Meet the Dreamgirl' contest.

Snubbing the whole idea of having a size zero figure, Hema said. "There's no need (for a size zero figure). I was not a size zero. You must have a flat stomach - not a pot belly - and a nice and beautiful face - at least a tolerable face - and you can be an actress."

Regarding her future projects, Hema said," Ive signed one or two (films), which are held up because of the financial problems in the whole world. Otherwise I would have finished those two and they would have released by now."

"One is with Nana Patekar which Deepa Sahi is directing, and the other is wich another producer. It is not right to expose everything about a film," she said.

Another film that Hema is working on is "Ek Thi Rani Aisi Bhi" - in which she will play a role based on the life of prominent political figure Vijayaraje Scindia.

She is also toying with the idea of getting into production and returning to direction after almost 17 years. The actress, who had her first stint with direction in 1992 with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Dil Aashna Hai".