By Subhash K. Jha, IANS

Sushmita Sen's forthcoming appointment with Hollywood actress Ashley Judd has her excited like seldom before.

"What makes Ashley's trip to India so special is not only the fact that she cares so deeply for the AIDS cause. It is also because she is coming all the way to our country to raise funds for this cause. And as far as I'm concerned that's enough reason for India to play host to Ashley. I feel she's my guest and I'm going to do my best to make her feel at home," Sushmita told IANS.

Ashley has gone on record to say she's keen to meet Sushmita.

"Has she?" Sushmita is delighted. "I read up a whole lot on her on the net. And I must say I'm very very impressed by her work. It's not just what she's done on screen, but what she has done off screen that makes her so important. It's the kind of career model I'm trying to follow."

On March 14, Ashley and Sushmita, who played a sex worker in Kalpana Lajmi's "Chingaari", are expected to visit Mumbai's red light area of Kamathipura to spend the whole day with sex workers.

Says the former miss universe: "I'll be speaking to the sex workers in the language that's prevalent among them, Bengali. I'm really looking forward to my day with Ashley and with these brave women who perhaps need just that bit of information to make their lives healthier and safer."

The day with the sex workers will be followed by a 90-minute interview for the National Geographic channel.

"Then on March 17 Ashley and I will be attending a very exclusive dinner to raise charity funds for the cause," said Sushmita, who says she loves public events.

"Even the dance performances at functions are because I dance basically for myself. If the audiences enjoy it, good for them."