Mumbai:
It's not even been 24 hours since her release but Maria Susairaj is already on the threshold of limelight.
The 30-year-old Kannada actress' sensational tryst with law - she was released from jail after serving a three-year sentence in connection with the death of TV executive Neeraj Grover in 2008 - has already inspired a movie by noted filmmaker Ram Gopal Verma.
Titled
Not A Love Story, the film's promotions have hit the airwaves coinciding with her release.
"I haven't really replicated the facts, but just used the spirit of the incident for inspiration", said Mr Varma.
But the filmmaker isn't just content with inspiration. He now intends to cast Ms Susairaj in his next venture on the big screen.
"Maria Susairaj wanted to become famous as an actress and she became famous as a murdress...if things went well it could have been a 'Rangeela' for her. Since things went wrong, her dreams of becoming an actress went for a toss," Varma wrote on microblogging site Twitter.
"Now that she has been released I want to sign Maria Susairaj for a film," he further posted.
Mr Varma, who has been at the centre of numerous controversies, predictably drew sharp reactions again, this time being accused of "seeking publicity" and "sensationalism" .
"I think the whole thing is terrible. If anybody can stoop so low simply because u want to cash in on it, because of the sensational value of it...people do a lot of things which in their right mind, they wouldn't", said National Award-winning filmmaker Shyam Bengal.
But the maverick filmmaker remains unfazed by the accusations.
"All these allegations...Ramu is insensitive and he's trying to cash on...Yes, I am after publicity because as a filmmaker, filmmaking is only about publicity...I don't look down upon the word publicity", Mr Varma said.
But it's not just a film offer. There are reports of popular reality TV show
Bigg Boss evincing an interest in roping in Ms Susairaj for their next season.
(Read: Maria Susairaj wanted for Bigg Boss, say reports)As speculation abounds over Ms Susairaj's future in showbiz, an interesting irony lies within. She was accused of using Neeraj Grover to further her dreams...something that could well become a reality after his death.