By Hindustan Times

MUMBAI, Oct. 16 -- Call her at 2 pm," actor Kangna Ranaut's publicist says. The otherwise private actor has started giving interviews in time to promote her big release, Knock Out. But, she's still busy.

The actor is currently filming in the city and this interview has happened between shots.

She starts out fresh and excited, a couple of shots later, she's tired and guarded. 1400 hours The first call and the actor is cheerful and ready to talk, especially about Knock Out. "Oh, I am so excited about playing a TV journalist, that too a crime reporter," Ranaut says. Has playing a scribe made her more receptive to the media? "I learnt a lot, my research was quite deep. I understood the sense of responsibility and the pressure of the job," she says.

A voice interrupts us. Her next shot is ready. 1425 hours It's been 10 minutes. We call, but she is still shooting. 'Madam shot mein hai', an assistant informs us. 1445 hours Finally, she's got some time. But Ranaut is clearly not in the best of her moods. "Let us finish this soon, na. I'll have to go again," she says. Okay, time for some 'personal' questions. She's been seen with all the 'right' people lately. And let's not forget the buzz around her relationship with actor Salman Khan.

"I don't have time for friendships," she snaps. What about the fact that she's even good friends with his family? "I meet Salman because I am working with him in a film. We meet for work. You people can make 100 stories out of it. Truth is, he has a girlfriend," Ranaut retorts.

"He has always been very open about his personal life. So what is the need for all this speculation?" she adds. Ranaut sounds hurried again and impatient, and so we try and flatter her with lines like she's Bollywood's most fashionable actor-what's the secret? "It is my style. How can a stylist make me look good all the time? I don't carry my stylist in my bag all the time," she says.