Of course, that does not stop her from commanding the highest price for an Indian actress, all of Rs 20 million per film.

One of Ash's biggest disappointments recently was Gurinder Chadha's Bride And Prejudice that did not fare well in India, but enjoyed a good opening in the UK. Bride is poised for a US release in February 2005.

Her other film, Kyun…! Ho Gaya Na, which saw her opposite beau Vivek Oberoi for the first time, was a disaster at the box office.

After Raincoat, Ash's next release will be Shabd, costarring Sanjay Dutt and Zayed Khan.