Bipasha Basu believes she intimidates men, but says her women fans are at ease with her image as a sex symbol. Basu told Bombay-based DNA newspaper that despite having recently played the role of an ordinary college student in her Hindi movie, ”Apharan” or ”Abduction,” it hasn’t changed her fans’ outlook.

Her fans have a particular image of her and there was no point trying to change their perception, she said. ”I love being called sexy,” she said in an interview published Monday. ”I see no harm in sticking to my image.”

Basu, a top model, has starred in more than 20 movies since she entered the movie industry five years ago. She plans to strike a balance and keep her audience and herself happy by doing one ”realistic” movie for every commercial blockbuster.

She said women were her biggest fans. ”They are perfectly comfortable with my sexy image,” she said, adding that men were not. ”I perhaps intimidate them,” she said.