"I'm so hungry!" sighs Meghna.

She has been waiting, shiny black top with black trousers and full makeup on, since 9 am for the first shot of the day.

It is noon and heroine Manisha Koirala has still not turned up. But Meghna is used to waiting. She has been a junior artiste for a year now.

They are shooting for Prakash Shaw's Market, starring Koirala, Shweta Menon, Suman Ranganathan and Aryan Vaid. The venue is Mumbai's Hotel Manor in suburban Juhu. Producers Rama Adhikan and Atif Khan debut with this film.

In this scene, Koirala is supposed to be introduced to Shweta and Suman. The junior artistes -- approximately 20 of them -- are other customers at the poolside hotel, whether they are sipping soft drinks, beer or swimming.

Meghna waits at a table.

Koirala makes an entry two hours later. Wearing a loud red, gold and cream salwar-kameez and makeup, she looks every inch the sex worker she plays in the film. After a word with the director, she is ready. She sits for a while at one of the tables and gets her expression right. Govind Khatri, who plays a gay pimp, sits in front of her.

Suman and Shweta enter and greet Khatri happily, embracing him. He introduces Koirala. To their chorus of hellos, she does an aadaab. Khatri whispers to Koirala that aadaab will not work in Mumbai. She must say Hello. Koirala stumbles with the word.

Cut!

Shaw does not like aadaab and wants her to cut that out. Koirala feels it is important to the scene. After a brief debate, she wins.

The next take is canned.

Watching Koirala perform is interesting. The indifferent face she carries to the sets becomes vulnerable as soon as the camera rolls. She looks like the Hyderabadi girl Muskaan, who comes to Mumbai for the first time. Emotions ranging from fear, nervousness and awe flicker on her face. She even manages perfect comic timing when she stumbles with "ello."

Despite the ugly controversy about her last film Ek Chhotisi Love Story, she has landed good films like Tanman.com, Escape From Taliban, Mehbooba, Raja Dil Ka Ghulam, Indira Gandhi and her own production, Paisa Vasool.

The actress, who claims she 'learnt a lot from the controversy,' says, "I like doing small films with different storylines. They give me a chance to experiment with roles. Besides, they are working nowadays. Take Jism, for example."

The Rs 50 million film Market will see Koirala as a sex worker for the first time. Inspired by a real life incident, the story revolves Muskaan (Koirala) who gets married to an Arab (played by Tony Mirchandani). A couple of days after marriage, he divorces her, leaving her to fend for herself.

Poverty-stricken, Muskaan has no choice but to take up prostitution. Circumstances take the Hyderbadi girl to Mumbai, where she meets college-going high class hookers (Suman and Shweta), who polish her. Thereafter, the three go to Dubai for dance shows. Muskaan meets her ex-husband again and plots revenge.

"Market is not inspired by any film -- not Chandni Bar, Mandi, Bazaar or any other film," Shaw clarifies. "It is inspired from society and specifically [an incident from], the Ameena case." Shaw refers to the Nigerian woman who was sentenced to death by stoning for bearing a child after divorce. The 30-year-old woman is still fighting her case in court.

Market, whose Hyderabad schedule is over, will have two more shooting schedules in Mumbai and Dubai. It is slated to release in June.

Back to the present shot, Shaw wants a closeup of Koirala's face as she stands up to greet Suman and Shweta.

Meghna glances at her watch and sighs. It is 4 pm. At least another two more hours for the magic words Pack Up!