'It's all about playing different roles'

New Venture

Even post marriage and kids, Priyanka Upendra can give any newcomer a run for her money. But now, the actress, who was last seen on screen with hubby Upendra in Srimathi, is trying her hand at production and direction.

She has been working on a couple of story ideas and Priyanka tells Metrolife that she has finally zeroed in on one project and is busy with the scripting process.

While she has been toying with the idea for a while, she decided to make the move while she was assisting Upendra with his last directorial venture, ‘Super’. “For me, it’s all about playing different roles.

With so many creative people around me, the option to write and direct just came to me. Having made several contacts in the industry, I wanted to put my learning to good use. When I was assisting Uppi (Upendra) in ‘Super’ I simply knew that this was my calling,” she says.

She recently registered her production house and the official launch will happen on Upendra’s birthday, September 18. “We are planning on calling it ‘Upendra Productions’ or ‘UP’.

This has been our dream for a long time. It’s an exciting phase in our lives and I can’t wait for things to fall into place. But the production house is not going to be only about us; in fact, we want to introduce new names under this banner and bring different kinds of movies to the audience,” she adds.

So do the husband and wife see eye-to-eye when it comes to business?

“Fortunately for us, we complement each other very well, though our choices of films are a bit different. Uppi likes more commercial, yet thrilling, kinds of movies while I am more into realistic and relationship-based plots. But somewhere, we both come to an agreement that works for us,” she adds.

The actress is currently busy with her latest film, ‘Crazy Star’, with Ravichandran. After giving the big hit Malla, Priyanka never acted with Ravichandran again. “That’s why this is even more special.

I am working with Ravi sir after so many years — and that too under his direction — so it has been a great learning process for me,” says Priyanka, who plays Ravichandran’s wife in the movie.

“I play a superstar’s wife in the movie. It was easy for me to get into the skin of the character since I already know what it feels like in real life,” she says.

Priyanka says that she is learning a lot on the sets just watching Ravichandran work. “He is so deeply involved with every little aspect of film-making. He doesn’t care if it takes him all day to shoot just one scene till he gets it perfect. It has always been a pleasure working with him,” she adds.

So how does she manage both work and home? “It’s all about balancing. I have always been lucky to get good roles which don’t demand too many long hours.

Yes, it does get hectic at times and I end up falling ill as well with the odd hours but it’s the passion for cinema that keeps me going and so far things have worked out fine. Hopefully, it will continue to do so,” she signs off.