Mumbai, July 21 (IANS) Rumours are rife that Ranvir Shorey and Konkona Sen-Sharma are as engaged to one another as can be, but neither party is willing to talk about it.

When Ranvir was asked why the secrecy, he said: 'It's a personal choice. We like to keep our personal life away from the limelight. All I can say is I'm very content with my life and career.'

Ranvir would much rather talk about his film with US-based Indian filmmaker Mira Nair. Titled 'How Can It Be', it also has Konkona. They've worked together before in a wife-swapping film, 'Mixed Doubles', and Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Traffic Signal'.

'But this project is very special. It is a short film - part of a series on human rights made by the likes of Jane Campion, Gus Van Sant and Jim Wenders. Mira's film is about women's emancipation and we shot it in New York. Konkona plays the central character, but my role is no less pivotal,' Ranvir told IANS.

The role went to Ranvir after Mira's favourite Irrfan Khan turned it down.

'So I believe,' laughed Ranvir. 'I think he refused it. But Mira says I was always her first choice. In fact, I met Irrfan in New York when we shot with Mira. He was doing another short film with Mira co-starring Natalie Portman.'

Konkona was all but signed to play Tabu's role in Mira Nair's 'The Namesake'. She had opted out because the dates clashed with her mother Aparna Sen's '17 Park Avenue'.

Ranvir says working with Konkona is an easy experience.

'It's an advantage to work with a friend. You can speak your mind freely without the fear of offending the other party.'

But it wasn't same with his 'Ugly Aur Pagli' co-star Mallika Sherawat.

'There were a couple of times when we had ugly run-ins. But overall she has been very nice to me. Once, when I was ill, she got me food. Mallika is the star of 'Ugly Aur Pagli'. Not me.'