I wouldn't have accepted Bajirao if it wasn't a great role: Priyanka

Priyanka Chopra is thrilled with the way her Mary Kom biopic is turning out. She is also looking forward to working on her Sanjay Leela Bhansali movie 'Bajirao Mastani'. In an interview with Mumbai Mirror, Priyanka talks defensively about choosing the role, which she insists, is not second fiddle to Deepika Padukone.

Some excerpts:

But on one hand you're playing the title role in a Mary Kom and on the other you are doing a Bajirao Mastani...

Why shouldn't I do a Bajirao Mastani?

Well, for one it's not the title role...

Who has read the script? Have you? I would be stupid to accept the film if it didn't have a great role for me. My colleagues, Deepika (Padukone) and Ranveer (Singh), have great parts, so do I.

But apparently you were unhappy when you learnt that Deepika had been finalised as Mastani?

Why would I be unhappy? I always knew that someone would play Mastani. It couldn't be played by a ghost.

But you hadn't expected it to be Deepika, you perhaps thought it would be a younger and junior actress?

I think you need to go back and do your homework properly, read the story of Bajirao. There's no age gap between Kashi and Mastani. So why would I expect someone new to be signed for the part? When Sanjay sir spoke to me about it, he categorically told me that it was about two girls and a boy. And I always knew he wanted two main lead actresses for the roles of Kashi and Mastani. I knew it would be one of my contemporaries. (After a pause) Do you know who he was making the film with before?

Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor?

No, for Kashi's part?

Was there someone... Madhuri Dixit?

I can't speak about it on record.