Mallika's dirty dancing with Antonio Banderas at Cannes

Looks like Mallika Sherawat is having a good time at Cannes. She tweeted this picture of herself grooving with Hollywood star Antonio Banderas, no less.

"So Much fun dancing with Antonio Banderas, he is a great dancer:)", she wrote on Twitter.

Coming up: Mallika at Cannes: Where's the skin show?

Where's the Mallika Sherawat we've known and, er, loved? She's been uncharacteristically subdued with her choice of outfits this year at Cannes. This latest, a beige halter gown, Twitpic-ed by film critic Anupama Chopra, saying, " @MallikaLA unveiling her new, understated look in Cannes. She says the dress was actually stitched on her!" And while the flash of side-bosom would have been daring on, say Ash, it's altogether too tame for Mallika.

What next, a sari? We're not sure if we like sophisticated Mallika better than eye popping Mallika. We'll reserve judgement till red carpet day.

We nearly missed her first outing this year, in a demure Victoria Beckham dress. She tweeted this picture, saying, "At The India Pavilion in Cannes,wearing Victoria Beckham dress:)" This is Mallika's fourth year at Cannes

Coming up: Sexy siren Mallika Sherawat

Mallika is fast gaining ground as Bollywood's favourite item girl. Remember Maiya Maiya from Guru? As Jalebi Bai in Double Dhamaal, Mallika put Munni and Sheila firmly in the shade.

Mallika was born Reema Lamba but changed her name after graduating from Delhi University. “Mallika” means empress and Sherawat is her mother's maiden name

Before she made it big as Mallika, Reema Lamba appeared in a bit part in Jeena Sirf Merre Liye which failed to make any sort of impression. She had better luck as a model and made commercials with Amitabh Bachchan for BPL and Shah Rukh Khan for Santro

Her big break came with Govind Menon's Khwahish in which she gave moviegoers an eyeful of her vital statistics. The abundance of skin and the much talked about 17 kisses proved that sex sells like nothing else

Filmmakers experimenting with “bolder” cinema now came knocking on Mallika's door. In Mahesh Bhatt's Murder she played an unfaithful wife opposite fellow serial kisser Emraan Hashmi

Mallika then fell out with Mahesh Bhatt because of her “big mouth and bold statements”. Hollywood of sorts beckoned. In 2005, she made The Myth with martial arts master Jackie Chan

She grabbed eyeballs and attention at Cannes with this slit to the top ghaghra. Time's Richard Corliss hailed her as the next big thing

With a little help from Rahul Bose, her comic turn in Pyaar Ke Side Effects went down well with the audience

2007 began with a bang as she performed in what seemed like a thong and nothing else. Reacting to protests, she said there was nothing objectionable because she was wearing a skin coloured suit

She next sent the mercury rising with item number Maiya Maiya, possibly one of the highlights of Mani Ratnam's Guru

Reportedly, she charged Rs. 15 million for her 10-minute appearance in Himesh Reshammiya's Aap Ka Saroor as Mehbooba! Quite a price to pay…

Mallika made a second bid for Hollywood glory with Politics of Love, set during Obama's campaign for the US Presidency

Mallika met with US President Barack Obama in Los Angeles recently. The actress was invited to have tea with the US President. According to reports, President Obama has asked Mallika to invite him to the premiere of her soon-to-release film The Politics of Love, a rom-com on the 2008 presidential elections.
After the meeting, Mallika tweeted: "it was electric! Obama is d bomb:)" (Photo: PTI)

Talk of the town: Mallika made news of the wrong kind with a barely-there outfit at the audio launch of the Kamal Haasan-Asin starrer Dasavathaaram