Vidya Balan's performance prowess needs no corroboration. But when you learn that she will be playing a character loosely based on the South sex-symbol Silk Smitha (who featured in string of soft-porn films in the 80s and early 90s), it certainly generates a lot of curiosity. While a formulaic filmmaker would have thought of casting someone like today's sex-symbol Mallika Sherawat to portray the character of a yesteryear sex-symbol, director Milan Luthria chooses Vidya Balan for the role in his film A Dirty Picture. "I wanted the casting to arouse interest. At the same time I wanted a process of discovery to happen with the film and lend a new dimension to Vidya Balan", says Milan.