Koena Mitra is one hot bombshell that has been sizzling audiences ever since she first started. She is everywhere - on TV, in films, in magazines and in fashion shows as well! Not that Indians mind her omnipresence; in fact the typical Indian attitude for Keona Mitra is best surmised in the line – Yeh dil maange more. She has not looked back even once after she won the Gladrags Mega Model Contest in 2002. Taking the modeling world by a storm through her memorable roles in advertisements of high profile brands like ACP Whisky, Mirinda, Clinic All Clear and Maruti Alto.

Close on heels of her success in the modeling and advertisement world came her music videos - 'Stereo Nation´s Ishq', 'Aaj Ki Raat', 'Akh Teri', 'Channo' by Jassi. Big players from Bollywood took notice of her amazing talent for dancing. It was Ram Gopal Varma who first cast her for a scintillating dance number in his blockbuster Road. Then came Sanjay Gupta's Musafir in which Keona hypnotized the audience with her performance. But when people started labeling her as an "Item Girl," Keona realized that it was time for her to move on. No more dance numbers for her, she needed meaningful roles.

She refused a spate of offers from films that wanted to cast her only for a song and dance sequence. Talking to reporters she said, "I am in this industry to show my talent. So, I do not accept item number offers." When asked why she accepted item numbers earlier, she clarifies, "The 'Road' song was never seen by me as an 'item'. To me it was part of the story. And of course one hoped for better things." She justified her sexy dance number 'Sakki…' in 'Musafir' by saying that she liked this song, and Sanjay Gupta had promised to launch her in this film.

Koena faced no hiccups at all in graduating from an 'Item Girl' to a full-fledged heroine. Soon she was offered a solo-heroine role with Fardeen Khan in "Ek Khiladi Ek Haseena". The role had in fact been offered to another Bengali bombshell, Bipasha Basu, first. "When Bipasha couldn't do it, I stepped in. That's okay. From one Bengali to another. I'm proud to be known as the next Bengali sensation. We Bengalis have a reputation of being above the ordinary at what we do. Look at Jaya Bhaduri, Rakhee, Sharmila Tagore, Sushmita Sen.. I hope I can be the next link in this 'Bong kadi'," Koena laughs.

Sunny and sensuous, Koena seems unstoppable. When she signed Subash Ghai's, Money, Money, Money , she explained her reasons behind doing the film with these words, "I did it for three reasons, and none of it is money. Firstly, it's a Subhash Ghai film. Secondly, I get to work with director Sangeeth Sivan and Ritesh Deshmukh who were hilarious together in Kyaa Kool Hai Hum. Thirdly, I've a substantial role, though I admit Ritesh has a lot more to do."

Now about the crucial million-dollar question - who is the man in Koena's life? She says her heart is not yet won. Single and happy, she stays alone in Mumbai. Philosophically she says, "I've no man in my life. My family keeps coming and going from Kolkata. It's a lonely life out here. But work is my solid companion. Let's see what destiny has in store." For someone as talented as Koena destiny can only portend an even brighter tomorrow.