How Net savvy are you? How would you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10?
I surf the Net, check my mail and play games on the computer. I'd give myself a 6. My husband is more with it. He is very Net savvy. I'd rate him a 10 on 10.

What do you enjoy doing on the Net?
I enjoy checking my mail and finding out about something new.

What is your daily routine like? How much time do you spend online?
I don't get time to surf daily. But when I do, I'm hooked: I sit at the computer for around two or three hours.

What's your idea of a perfect Web site?
One that loads quickly. Sometimes it takes ages to download information.

What are your favourite bookmarks?
I like music sites, where you can download songs. Also, sites of newspapers. When I'm in America, I log on to the Times Of India. It's a link to my own world. And whenever I need some dope on anything, I always log on to the Net.

Have you ever been ego-surfing?
There are quite a few sites on me and that's great. I enjoy frequenting these sites. If I want to know the reactions of people to a film of mine, all I have to do is log on to a Web site.

Is there something you would like to buy or sell online?
My husband does that, but I'm very wary about buying anything online. I am more at ease shopping in person. If I want to buy something, I need to see it and feel it. If I'm buying a camera, I'll hold it and look through it first.

What is your favourite Web-based gadget?
My PalmPilot. I carry it around with me, whether at an airport or during a shooting schedule. I also have a DVD player attached to my laptop, so if I have time to spare I watch a film.

What do you like most about the Internet? What do you hate about it?
I like the fact that I can keep in touch with my family at a very low cost. I can see them, if the reception is good. On the phone, you can listen to the person at the other end, but can't see him. On the Net, you get to see the person you are speaking to, view his reactions. That's fabulous. There's so much information out there to which you have access, it's awesome. You don't have to ask anyone, or hunt for information. The best thing about the Net is that it has made the world such a small place.

What I hate is that once you are hooked on to the Net, you lose all track of time. You just don't realise how the hours rush by. It suddenly strikes me,"Oh my goodness, three hours have passed." You just get so lost.

Have you ever chatted with strangers? Did you tell them who you were?
No. I have not been that adventurous.

Any strange experience online?
Yes, once I got into an awkward kinda situation. I was under the impression that I was chatting with my nephew, and accepted an invitation to a Net-meeting. Suddenly this never-seen-before image crops up and I was like,"Who is this? Where have I got connected?" I went closer to the screen to check the image out better.

For a minute, I thought it must be one of my nephew's friends because the boy was a blonde American. But then, I realised it couldn't be so because I knew exactly where they sit on the computer at my sister's house. So we both peered at our screens for a moment and went "What is going on here?". I cancelled the meet right there and switched off the computer.

Is there any one celebrity you would love to chat online with?
It would have to be Russell Crowe. I'm a big fan.

If you could change anything about the Internet, what would it be?
It would be trashy sites. Basically, people should leave something alone in its pure form. Also, children can get exposed to so many inappropriate sites at a click of a button. They might not be at an age where they can comprehend or understand certain things, so they may end up making the wrong choices. This is an issue of utmost importance. There should be some kind of censorship on the Net. Some of the sites you can get into are real crazy.

I know of a friend's father who was trying to log on to a Web site, to check out a bit of news. He made a spelling mistake, and the site that opened was totally obscene. He went like, "Oh my God!Yeh kya hai? What is this?" And the more he tried to get out of the site, the less successful he was. Most of these sites are like that. It is very difficult to get out of them unless you switch off your computer and restart.

Is there something you are keen on trying online --- trade stocks, download mp3s etc?
I'd like to try out stuff like that. My husband does it and he's teaching me.

If the Internet didn't exist, you would be…
Very unhappy. When I'm in the States, I keep in touch with my family on the Net, when I'm over here I keep in touch with my husband. So, without it, I'd be sad.

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-- Sophiya Haque has bought falsies online
-- Farrokh Chothia says the Net has clicked for him
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