Former Miss World Priyanka Chopra is ready to set the silver screen ablaze.
Coincidentally, both her films are two-heroine movies -- Suneel Darshan's Andaaz has her teaming with former Miss Universe Lara Dutta while Anil Sharma's The Hero sees her match talent with Preity Zinta.
Despite these big projects, Priyanka does not lie back and relax. She goes through a rigorous daily schedule of Kathak classes, workouts, shooting, dubbing and, of course, socialising.
At heart, Subhash K Jha finds Priyanka a bindaas girl who loves her ghee parathas and thick lassi.
The year has been very hectic for you. How do you look back on it?
I have not had the time to look back. It is good because it means God has kept me really busy. Whatever happens is for the best. I am very happy with my career.
What made you choose The Hero and Andaaz as your launch pads?
They were huge films. To be part of a project by Anilji (Sharma), who has directed Gadar, seemed like a good thing. I saw The Hero recently and loved it.
As for Andaaz, I fell in love with my character. She is one helluva woman. She thinks she is the best thing to have happened to civilisation. And when she does one of her I-me-myself numbers, she is too funny. She is full of beans and always full of life.
Both your debut films are two-heroine projects...
Yes. That is just a coincidence. I never planned it that way. I just keep working.
Are they love triangles?
Andaaz is a love triangle. There is nothing hatke about it. But it is the way the romantic scenes have been treated, and the tiny details, that make it special. Andaaz is very fast-paced.
The Hero is different cup of tea. Anilji knows exactly what he wants. The Hero is a love story about a spy who has to choose between love and duty. It is a very emotional subject.
It does not matter if they are two-heroine projects because they are good films. It is better to share the limelight and win than go solo and sink (laughs). At the end of the day, it does not matter how many stars feature. If the film works, your performance will work.
Co-heroines rarely get along with each other...
Not in my case. Of course, there will always be the competitive spirit. But if I must have competition, I would rather have it from Lara Dutta than anyone else.
I have shared most of my career milestones with her. We won the Miss India contest the same year. She was crowned Miss Universe the same year I became Miss World. Now we are making our debut together in Andaaz. We even attend our Kathak classes together. We are each other's lucky charms. I just hope we do not end up sharing boyfriends or husbands.
As for competition, Lara and I have completely different roles.
Preity Zinta was very sweet. She talks non-stop. Between the two of us, I am reserved.
What about Sunny Deol?
I was petrified of him. I used to run out when he walked into the sets and look at his shoes while talking to him. But after working with him in Th
I'm also doing his home production, Gandhi.
Which of the two films are you more excited about?
If I start thinking about that, I would have sleepless nights. Both have shaped up well. All I can say is I have improved with every schedule. It is hard to recognise the girl from the first schedule in Ek Haseena Ek Deewana and Gandhi.
Wait till you see me in Plan, where I act with Sanjay Dutt. The character I play is rocking. I play a tapori.
You were also doing a film called Raja Bhaiyya with Govinda.
Yes, but I backed out. It was a good heroine-oriented subject to begin with, but they kept changing it. Finally, the heroine only had two songs and five scenes. I am not interested in doing anything like that.
But I am doing another film with Govinda, a southern remake called Ek Haseena Ek Deewana by K C Bokadia. That was the first film I started working on. I look quite different towards the end of that film, as I have changed quite a bit recently.
Besides, every day, I learn more about makeup, hair colour and all that. I have changed in each schedule of Ek Haseena Ek Deewana. So you will see the many faces of Priyanka Chopra in that film.
Are you happy with the film industry?
Yes. I am working with the best directors and actors. I had no problem getting accepted. I have had the pick of roles. No one thinks I have an attitude problem. In fact, they have to tell me to stop chattering on the sets.