By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad July 25: Monica Bedi, Bollywood starlet and girlfriend of mafia don Abu Salem, was released on bail from the Chanchalguda prison on Wednesday.
A relieved and cheerful Monica said she was looking forward to acting in Telugu films and promised to come back to Hyderabad "as an actress, and not as an accused".
She later flew to Hoshiyarpur in Punjab along with her father to spend time with her family. "I have got a couple of offers to act in Telugu films and will come back real soon," she told reporters at the airport.
Sources close to Monica said Hindi filmmaker Guddu Dhanoa offered her a role in one of his forthcoming movies. A Telugu producer also wants to make a film on her life starring Monica herself.
Her fans thronged the gates of the Chanchalguda prison from 6 am for a glimpse of the former actress. She came out at 7.40 am and immediately offered a thankful prayer to God.
As soon as Monica walked out, media teams surrounded her. She promised to speak to them and left within minutes. The media teams followed her to Begumpet airport where some news channels had even arranged a live telecast.
A beaming Monica thanked the judiciary, jail staff, prison inmates and others for her release. "Justice has been done," she said.
She said she hopes to restart her film career. "I missed acting. I have now got several offers from Bollywood and Tollywood," she said.
Monica said she had been a naïve girl and had trusted everyone. "I will plan my career carefully from now on," she said. "I have learnt a lot in prison."
She smiled when reporters asked about marriage plans. "Give me a break," she said. "I have just been freed and you want to marry me off right now. Marriage can wait. I want to make a successful career in films."
Monica had earlier acted in the Telugu film Taj Mahal starring Srikant. She also starred in several Hindi films, including Suraksha, Tirchi Topi Wale and Jodi No. 1 before abandoning her film career.
She was extradited to India from Portugal with her companion Abu Salem in 2005 and was sent to Chanchalguda prison in September 2005 in connection with a fake passport case. The actress said she kept herself occupied by teaching other women prisoners yoga, dancing and English in Chanchalguda and Bhopal prisons.
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