Amrita Rao: A men's magazine favorite

Amrita Rao sizzles in a tyrian purple micro mini halter dress as FHM January 2010 lead story, her third appearance on the cover of a men's magazine in as many months.The cover story title - 'The Girl Next Door' replaced by 'The Hottie next door' says it all.

Since her bold makeover in Anil Kapoor Productions' Shortkut (2009), the petite 28-year-old Vivah star has consciously steered away from her innocent girl next door image to a happening girl ready to drop jaws in revealing clothes.Rao absolutely enjoys the attention that comes with her new image and is content to do more magazine covers than films.

So thrilled to be on the cover of FHM's January issue... 2010 couldnt have kickstarted on a better note!" Rao tweeted yesterday.

"My 3rd men's mag cover in a row!"

Rao featured on the covers of Better Photography December issue and the November 2009 issue of The Man.

Rao is not just sexy, she is also large hearted. She doesn't forget to give due credit to her styling team and the photographers for her new image. Thanking the team involved in the FHM shoot, she tweeted:

"Many thanks to Tushar Amin n his team, VikramBawa, JayatiBose, Kapil and Beena, DeepakNarkar, NinadJadhav and NandkishorSawant. U GUYS ROCK!"

Rao's last two films Shortkut - The Con is On (2009) and Victory were dismal duds.

She will next be seen in a cameo in Milap Zaveri's Jaane Kahan Se Aayee Hai.

Her pending projects include AB Corp's Chandraprakash Dwivedi helmed The Legend Of Kunal in which she will play the role of Kanchanmala, wife of Veera Kunal (Arjun Rampal), son of Ashoka (Amitabh Bachchan). Tabu will play the role of Pishyarakshita, the fifth wife of Ashoka.