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Priyanka Chopra: 'I am overworked and underpaid'
Priyanka Chopra is one of the busiest actresses in Bollywood right now. With Fashion's release round the corner, the actress says she can hope to change the tide of what has been a slightly dismal year for her. For over six months, Chopra says she has been working almost round the clock but unlike others who would complain about the situation, she considers it her good fortune.
Below is an excerpt from an interview:
You are working round the clock and still smiling. How do you manage that?
Well I love my job and I think that the primary aspect of it is that you have to love your work so even 20 hour days don't seem that long. And you have to have understanding family and friends who understand that your priority is your work right now and whenever there is time that you will make time for them… and that now is not the appropriate time.
You walked the ramp for Narendra Kumar at the start of the week and you will be the show stopper for Vikram later tonight. And you looked wow… so much so that no one noticed the models on the stage.
More than that I think it was just that I as an actor and when you see somebody doing something different your interest value kind of triggers a little bit more. If one of the models started acting you would want to see whether they can do a good job at it or not. So I think it was just that… plus I think I had had a lot of practice while doing the film Fashion so maybe… I was trying really hard to look as good as the other girls who do a great job at what they do.
Fashion is one of the most awaited films of the year if not the most. Are you feeling the pressure?
Its very scary when you have an entire film on your shoulders… it's a lot of pressure especially considering the fact that women centric films are not given so much importance. First and foremost I am really glad that a woman centric film is being given that much importance… it just goes to show how much the audience has changing and how much they just want to see a good film! And second of all the industry has opened up to such films… earlier too such films were made but they never opened up to the kind of hype they deserve. You know I'm just really lucky that it's all coming together nicely … Madhur as my director, I have a really nice role in the film and the film overall is also fantastic. So I just hope that the audiences appreciate it as well!
You play an aspiring model Meghna in Fashion who comes to the big city. Was it similar for you when you came to Mumbai at the start of your career?
Well my situation was a lot different from Meghna's. She always knew she wanted to be a supermodel. There was never any doubt about that. With me when I came in … I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I didn't know in life where I was going to be led.
But yes there was one similarity that when you come from a small town to Bombay which is this hustling bustling big city and how you are a bit lost but you pretend that you know how things work… how you are a veteran and those are a few things that I did draw from my own life.
Also the journey to success – only that Meghna's character does not know how handle that because it comes to her really quick whereas for me I stayed grounded thanks to my parents…
That was my next question. How have you managed to keep your head on your shoulders despite all the fame and adulation coming your way?
I really feel it has a lot to do with your upbringing. I have not known of being any other way. I have always just been like this… so I think it has a lot to do with how you have been brought up. My parents have given me a very practical viewpoint on everything. Even when I was growing up I have always managed to remain very objective of how life can be. And I know that this is such a place which is uncertain and unstable and you shouldn't get too attached to it… as quickly as it comes that quickly as it goes. So you've got to treat like a roller coaster ride where you need to hold on to the rails else you can fall really hard.
You've always been one to be straightforward but at the same time you have managed to stay out of controversies by and large… that's a difficult thing to achieve being a Bollywood actress.
I think I may not be the most interesting heroine! (laughs) I don't give the most sensational quotes and I don't create gossip or I don't believe in fighting. I just believe in living my life and doing my work. I enjoy that the most… I don't like to be written about other things in my life or other things that I might be doing. As long as it's about my work I am more than happy to have stuff on it… good, bad, ugly that's all okay if it is on my work. It's just that I don't believe in being a star based on what other things I do – that's not fair to my audiences.
That was the next thing I wanted to as you. Of late you have been a part of films that have received a lot of criticism but at the same time we all know that you've been working round the clock. So what keeps you still motivated when you wake up to such bad remarks?
I agree Drona and Love Story 2050 didn't do as well as they were hyped to be but I never got people saying that I as terrible in the film. You know, in fact on the contrary I got a lot of appreciation for the movies. And I do believe that an actor is a small part of the film and that every film comes with its own destiny. And if you do your work a 100% then no body can deny you in being correct in what you do…. That's pretty much what I do. Whether a not a film does well or not is really not in my hands – and I accepted that about 2 years ago. But it's very very important that when people come out of the film they should say she did an honest and sincere job and go back with a great taste for you. I think that's a victory for an actor.
You are definitely gracing every magazine cover and hoarding these days – hit films or not. What's the secret potion to looking so glam and hot?
You should be overworked and underpaid – that really keeps you fit!
We journalists understand that – we are always in that boat…
Yes so that's my secret. I am constantly overworked and underpaid! Right now I have no time to workout or train. Yes I did do a lot of intensive training for Dostana and Fashion earlier but once I began filming and returned I just haven't had the time. I haven't had a holiday in eight months... And I don't mean taking 5 days off kind of holiday… I mean not even one day off! I worked on my birthday or Sundays or festivals. And I think that's what's keeping me in shape.
So no off for Diwali this year?
Nope far from it! I am going to be working on Diwali… Fashion is releasing on Diwali. But I am going to try and be done by evening so that I can be home for Laxmi Puja and spend time with my family…
Priyanka Chopra is one of the busiest actresses in Bollywood right now. With Fashion's release round the corner, the actress says she can hope to change the tide of what has been a slightly dismal year for her. For over six months, Chopra says she has been working almost round the clock but unlike others who would complain about the situation, she considers it her good fortune.
Below is an excerpt from an interview:
You are working round the clock and still smiling. How do you manage that?
Well I love my job and I think that the primary aspect of it is that you have to love your work so even 20 hour days don't seem that long. And you have to have understanding family and friends who understand that your priority is your work right now and whenever there is time that you will make time for them… and that now is not the appropriate time.
You walked the ramp for Narendra Kumar at the start of the week and you will be the show stopper for Vikram later tonight. And you looked wow… so much so that no one noticed the models on the stage.
More than that I think it was just that I as an actor and when you see somebody doing something different your interest value kind of triggers a little bit more. If one of the models started acting you would want to see whether they can do a good job at it or not. So I think it was just that… plus I think I had had a lot of practice while doing the film Fashion so maybe… I was trying really hard to look as good as the other girls who do a great job at what they do.
Fashion is one of the most awaited films of the year if not the most. Are you feeling the pressure?
Its very scary when you have an entire film on your shoulders… it's a lot of pressure especially considering the fact that women centric films are not given so much importance. First and foremost I am really glad that a woman centric film is being given that much importance… it just goes to show how much the audience has changing and how much they just want to see a good film! And second of all the industry has opened up to such films… earlier too such films were made but they never opened up to the kind of hype they deserve. You know I'm just really lucky that it's all coming together nicely … Madhur as my director, I have a really nice role in the film and the film overall is also fantastic. So I just hope that the audiences appreciate it as well!
You play an aspiring model Meghna in Fashion who comes to the big city. Was it similar for you when you came to Mumbai at the start of your career?
Well my situation was a lot different from Meghna's. She always knew she wanted to be a supermodel. There was never any doubt about that. With me when I came in … I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I didn't know in life where I was going to be led.
But yes there was one similarity that when you come from a small town to Bombay which is this hustling bustling big city and how you are a bit lost but you pretend that you know how things work… how you are a veteran and those are a few things that I did draw from my own life.
Also the journey to success – only that Meghna's character does not know how handle that because it comes to her really quick whereas for me I stayed grounded thanks to my parents…
That was my next question. How have you managed to keep your head on your shoulders despite all the fame and adulation coming your way?
I really feel it has a lot to do with your upbringing. I have not known of being any other way. I have always just been like this… so I think it has a lot to do with how you have been brought up. My parents have given me a very practical viewpoint on everything. Even when I was growing up I have always managed to remain very objective of how life can be. And I know that this is such a place which is uncertain and unstable and you shouldn't get too attached to it… as quickly as it comes that quickly as it goes. So you've got to treat like a roller coaster ride where you need to hold on to the rails else you can fall really hard.
You've always been one to be straightforward but at the same time you have managed to stay out of controversies by and large… that's a difficult thing to achieve being a Bollywood actress.
I think I may not be the most interesting heroine! (laughs) I don't give the most sensational quotes and I don't create gossip or I don't believe in fighting. I just believe in living my life and doing my work. I enjoy that the most… I don't like to be written about other things in my life or other things that I might be doing. As long as it's about my work I am more than happy to have stuff on it… good, bad, ugly that's all okay if it is on my work. It's just that I don't believe in being a star based on what other things I do – that's not fair to my audiences.
That was the next thing I wanted to as you. Of late you have been a part of films that have received a lot of criticism but at the same time we all know that you've been working round the clock. So what keeps you still motivated when you wake up to such bad remarks?
I agree Drona and Love Story 2050 didn't do as well as they were hyped to be but I never got people saying that I as terrible in the film. You know, in fact on the contrary I got a lot of appreciation for the movies. And I do believe that an actor is a small part of the film and that every film comes with its own destiny. And if you do your work a 100% then no body can deny you in being correct in what you do…. That's pretty much what I do. Whether a not a film does well or not is really not in my hands – and I accepted that about 2 years ago. But it's very very important that when people come out of the film they should say she did an honest and sincere job and go back with a great taste for you. I think that's a victory for an actor.
You are definitely gracing every magazine cover and hoarding these days – hit films or not. What's the secret potion to looking so glam and hot?
You should be overworked and underpaid – that really keeps you fit!
We journalists understand that – we are always in that boat…
Yes so that's my secret. I am constantly overworked and underpaid! Right now I have no time to workout or train. Yes I did do a lot of intensive training for Dostana and Fashion earlier but once I began filming and returned I just haven't had the time. I haven't had a holiday in eight months... And I don't mean taking 5 days off kind of holiday… I mean not even one day off! I worked on my birthday or Sundays or festivals. And I think that's what's keeping me in shape.
So no off for Diwali this year?
Nope far from it! I am going to be working on Diwali… Fashion is releasing on Diwali. But I am going to try and be done by evening so that I can be home for Laxmi Puja and spend time with my family…
http://www.starboxoffice.com/newsDetails.aspx?xfile=2008/October/News_20081023_159
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