By Joginder Tuteja
Mumbai, Aug 10 (IANS) She has played a prostitute, a bubbly girl-next-door and the ultimate glamour queen in her almost decade-long career, but Kareena Kapoor says “Kurbaan” has given her the opportunity to sink her teeth into one of the best roles in her career.

“I am so confident that in ‘Kurbaan’, audiences will take to my character in a big way,” said Kareena, who looks forward to playing a variety of roles across different genres of films.

“Especially after ‘Kambakkht Ishq’, they would see a different me in the film,” Kareena told IANS.

A Karan Johar production, “Kurbaan” is directed by first time director Rensil D’Silva and has terrorism as its background.

“The girl’s role is very strong in ‘Kurbaan’ and I have worked really hard on my performance. I’m expecting a lot from the film,” said the actress, who has won critical acclaim for her performance in “Dev” and “Omkara”.

Kareena is paired with boyfriend Saif Ali Khan in “Kurbaan”, which also stars Vivek Oberoi, Dia Mirza, Kirron Kher and Om Puri in principal roles.

The actress says she is once again expecting accolades from critics for her performance in the film.

“Well frankly, this is one film where I am expecting both box-office success and huge critical acclaim. The film is extremely well made and, to add to that, quite topical,” she said confidently.

With music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Salim-Sulaiman, “Kurbaan” is aiming for a November release.

For Kareena, 2009 would be an eventful year as it would also see the release of Rajkumar Hirani’s “3 Idiots”, where she is paired opposite Aamir Khan, and debutant director Prem R. Soni’s “Main Aur Mrs. Khanna” with Salman Khan.

After being in the industry for close to a decade, doesn’t she aspire for more awards?

“See, ever since I began my career, I have always maintained that I want to be a star actress. I should give the kind of confidence to filmmakers that I can carry off any role confidently. Whether it is a Geet (’Jab We Met’) or a Dolly (’Omkara’), Simrita (’Kambakkht Ishq’) or the character I play in ‘Kurbaan’ - I am mixing it up all.

“For me, work is like a passion and when I do a film, I don’t really think of commercial gains or awards. What is most important for me is to be engaged in some quality stuff. I sign a film because I like to enact the character that I have been offered. If box office success and awards come then, well, it’s great,” she said.