Banking on films

talk of the town

Acting was in her destiny, says actress Parineeti Chopra, whose unconventional looks and ease in front of the camera have earned her laurels. RAJIV VIJAYAKAR talks to the rising star about her ‘hatke’ roles & more.

After back to back acclaim for two powerful yet completely diverse performances — Hasee Toh Phasee and Daawat-E-Ishq, Parineeti Chopra, histrionically, is well on par with the competing names of her generation — Alia Bhatt and Shraddha Kapoor.

Like them, she has films in her bloodline, so to speak, as Priyanka Chopra is her first cousin. Though they live jointly in one home, their individual careers prevent them from meeting often, but as she says, “We never discuss films when we meet.” 

A common point between Priyanka, and also Alia and Shraddha, is music, and though Parineeti is yet to sing in the movies, the ever-charming actress has been formally trained in it. “I am a trained singer from Prachin Kala Kendra in Chandigarh, but I am really proud of Priyanka’s global achievement and success as a singer. I have performed on stage lifelong, and apart from heavy metal and rock, I love all kinds of music.”

And yes, she is waiting for a chance to show this mettle, though she would rather not force it, thank you.

Comfort zone

Parineeti has till now got extremely rooted characters in the films she has done — Ladies Vs. Ricky Behl, Ishaqzaade, Shuddh Desi Romance, and now her latest film Kill Dil, though she seems to be a bit too much at home with her mentor banner in more than one sense — Yash Raj Films. Just one movie, Hasee Toh Phasee, has been done for an outside banner — Dharma Productions — till date, and Parineeti seems to be in no hurry to step outside this great comfort zone.

About her last release Daawat-E-Ishq with them, she simply says with a laugh, “How many films have been made on food? It was such a happy, entertaining film. And we always tasted authentic local cuisine in all the best places like Lucknow and Hyderabad and kept eating the same food for a shot till it was approved by the director.” 

Parineeti can afford to laugh because she is one of those lucky ones who has never needed to diet in her life. “I prefer to balance it out if I gorge, so that’s what I did to lose whatever pounds I had gained,” says the loquacious lady.

However, the young actress admits that she cannot cook to save her life. “I hate cooking!” she declares. “My special favourite is the biscuit pudding my mom makes and has learnt from my grandmother.”

We move to the topic of her generation of actors forming a clique of thick buddies. Also, this group has now — in terms of market standing — moved in next to the ten biggest A-lister stars of Hindi cinema and left the rest in an unenviable position. “Look, we cannot write off the seniors, but I am glad for myself vis-à-vis my progress, and also grateful for our acceptance by the people,” she replies with a smile.

Still, we want to know why there is no rivalry between them in the best time-honoured tradition of stars. In mock anger, she declares, “Look, we like each other. We do not look on each other as competitors and are the first to call up and openly compliment each other’s work. If our seniors did not do that, it was their problem! So, why should we make it ours? Friendship will always be bigger than work.”

Queen of quirks

She admits that Hasee Toh Phasee did not work the way her bravura performance did. “It was my most difficult role, though, and a tough one as there was no reference from the past. So we had to brainstorm and create all those quirky mannerisms for my character of a misunderstood science-obsessed genius.”

And for those who came in late, here is a peep into how this real-life genius made her mark and found her groove in life. “I did my Standard 12 from Ambala and went off to Manchester to study, getting a triple honours in International Business, Finance and Economics,” she says, summing up her laurels with crisp brevity. “It was 2009 and recession had set in as I was applying to different banks there, so I returned to India.

 I accompanied a friend one day into Yash Raj Studios and liked the feel of the place and asked if they had something for me in marketing. They put me on an internship for six months and then I got a permanent job in their PR team.”

Our first acquaintance with Parineeti was precisely as a warm and efficient member of this team during interviews with their stars and at other events. “I was part of the team that marketed my first co-star Ranveer Singh during his debut film Band Baaja Baaraat,” she smiles. “And suddenly Adi-sir (Aditya Chopra) zeroed down on me for his second movie, Ladies Vs. Ricky Behl, in which I was one of the four girls. At that time, I had actually realised that I wanted to act and had left the job to join an acting school abroad,” she grins at the memory. “It was nothing but destiny.”

And what about real-life romance after doing so many love stories? “I have no boyfriend, yaar,” she makes a moue and replies. “It’s all rubbish to say that it’s only career for an artiste. One can be better at work if there is a relationship. So I am not consciously single. Abhi kya ek torch se dhoondhoo kisiko (Should I look for someone with a torch)?” 

Parineeti loves her work and says that her confidence even in her debut was as if she had already shot 10 films! “I just never felt nervous even for my first shot for Ladies… and my director Maneesh Sharma declared that I was over-confident before the shot. He was amazed when he had to okay my first shot,” she laughs. “But though I am ambitious, I am also detached. It’s a nine-to-five kind of thing for me,” says the actress who is all set to show more of her skills in the saucy role she has enacted in Kill Dil.

And that brings us to the final query: we believe that she has sparkled in a dance with the legendary Govinda in the song Sun beliya. “I hope so! It was not at all easy matching steps with the man,” she says, confident about having achieved another feat.