Nidhi Sunil can kick your ass….

She might be dark and diminutive for a model, but that hasn’t stopped Nidhi Sunil from being immensely successful – and infinitely distracting. As if those sexy, straight-out-of-bed tresses and royal cheekbones weren’t already enough to set your senses on fire, she’s also outspoken, witty and redefines intellectual stimulus as a legit tool for foreplay.

When I meet her for a chat at Indigo Deli in Mumbai, the Bangalore girl races through subjects – urban development laws, the relevance of Jane Austen’s fiction in modern-day society and the merits of turning vegetarian, among others – about as fast she scarfs down a plateful of spaghetti. She tops this off with a double espresso shot and anecdotes about the times she organized protest marches and lodged PILs against the government. She also repeats the phrase “I forgot what the question was” way too often for our lunch to qualify as a formal interview.

Though completely unexpected, Sunil’s behaviour makes sense once she mentions a bachelor’s degree in law, her choice of career before she was “spotted” in 2008. She eventually chose modelling so she could “be the boss” of her time. And we’re thankful: a lawyer’s uniform would do no justice to that frame, for starters.

Sunil admits she’s reclusive: She’d prefer an evening of pigging out on pizza in front of the TV over club-hopping any day. But should you find her standing at a bar (“I usually have my scary face on, so be warned”), there’s no need to be intimidated. Don’t try to “accidentally” knock her drink over and offer to buy her a new one, either – she’s wise to your ploys already. “Just come over and say hello,” she says. “Nothing’s sexier than a self-assured man.”

Last seen: Heating up the ramp at Myntra Fashion Weekend

Gets high on: Yoga and Kalaripayattu

Best known for: Being the brand ambassador for Garnier