Beginning her career as a model, Rao made her acting debut with Ab Ke Baras (2002), which went unnoticed. However, she grew into prominence when she starred in Ken Ghosh's love-story, Ishq Vishk (2003) and earned her first Filmfare nomination in the Best Female Debut category. Delivering acclaimed performances and commercial success with films like Main Hoon Na (2004) and Vivah (2006), her biggest commercial success so far, she has established herself as one of the most promising actresses of Bollywood.

Awards

* 2004: Sansui Awards, Best Debut - Female - Ishq Vishk
* 2007: GR8 Women Awards, Young Achiever
* 2007: Anandalok Puroshkar Awards, Most Promising New Talent - Vivah
* 2007: Sports World Awards, Jodi of the Year along with Shahid Kapoor - Vivah
* 2007: Dadasaheb Phalke Academy Award - Vivah

According to u what is u r Philosophy ?

Philosophy of life: Life is short and sweet, so make others happy and never let anyone down.

If you had to date a historical character, who would he be and why?
I guess it must be Bhagat Singh. I have worked in the movie The Legend of Bhagat Singh and was very much inspired by him.

At the young age of 23, he was hanged for the sacrifices he made for our country. It's not easy to make yourself be heard like that.

What if the guy you like turns out to be a gay?
He would still be a good friend of mine.

If you are going out on a date and someone makes a pass at you, would you want your guy to fight with that man?
I have seen that happening in movies and have always been inspired when Shah Rukh Khan does something like that in Baazigar and Darr.

Among the current crop of Bollywood stars, who do you think is the hottest?
Aamir is my favorite. I think Hrithik is also perfect in terms of looks, height and body.

Your first crush?
During my school days, I used to like a cricketer. But now I feel too embarrassed to even take his name. He is out of the team now.

Which zodiac-sign man do you go around well with?
I'm not much into zodiac signs. I certainly have many friends who are guys, but I haven't really asked them about their zodiac signs!

What qualities would you like your man to possess?
I would want him to have a lot of patience. I would want him to calm me down when I get flustered about something. I would want him to really support me and tell me whenever he feels I'm wrong. Above all, he should respect his parents and be a thorough gentleman.

This guy would be from Bollywood?
Not necessarily.

Is sense of humor a must?
I think, yes. The first thing which attracts me to a person is his sense of humor.