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Join UsAhead of the release of her upcoming film Meri Pyaari Bindu, Parineeti Chopra opens up on her long break after Kill Dil, Priyanka Chopra’s MET Gala dress, the actors vs singers battle in Bollywood and more…
How much do you relate to Bindu?
Bindu is a very irresponsible girl. She is like a flying bird who wants to try new things all the time. She doesn’t complete her relationships, she keeps moving cities, and never finishes anything as she wants to do everything. She is very spunky and energetic. I am not that person at all. I am a disciplined and responsible person, I plan a lot. What I really share with Bindu is the passion for music. To play the other sides of her character, I had to do a lot of acting.
So many retro songs have been used in the film…
When I read the script, this is what attracted me the most. I felt like this is my life story, I have songs for everything! I have songs attached to people, relationships, family, friends, picnic or some other occasion. That attracted me a lot to Bindu. I got to sing a lot of those songs, so it was all the more fun. I even have a song for film promotions. (Laughs)
Some singers are unhappy with actors turning singers these days. What’s your take on it?
As a part of me being an entertainer, I will be entertaining in all sorts of place. When I act, other actors should not feel offended, when I sing other singers should not feel offended, when I dance, dancers should not feel offended, when I do my own stunts in films, action directors should not get offended, when I do comedy and I will do a lot of comedy in Golmaal, comedians should not feel offended, I will be wearing good clothes, so fashion designers should not feel offended, the list can go on and on because it’s all a part of entertainment. You can’t pick and choose which part of the entertainment I can do and which I can’t. Everybody should co-exist in the business of entertainment.
Recently a singer has claimed that when international artistes come to perform in India, professional singers should be present alongside them on stage instead of actors-turned-singers because they are amateurs…
I am classically trained! Nobody can decide who is an amateur and who is not. If I am a classically trained singer then you can’t call me an amateur. Even if somebody is not trained, like Ayushmann (Khurrana) but he has so many hit songs, you can’t call him an amateur. This debate is actually just going around in circles and there is no right answer. When a singer does a music video, they also have to act! I am not saying anything at that time!
There have been speculations that you took this break because you were not getting roles…
There was no reason for me for not to get roles. I was getting very good offers. It’s just that I was genuinely going through some health issues. I invested a lot of time into my health which I had neglected for a really long time. Also, I bought a new house, which was a dream of many years. I worked on making it the way I wanted it. That took 9 months. So, actually, my break was only 10 months. I immediately signed Bindu after that and started shooting soon after. Obviously, from shooting to release, one more year passes. It’s not like main do saal ghar pe baithi thi aur kuchh nahi kar rahi thi. Also, all this while I was shooting for my ads, endorsements etc. I guess some hype has been created, which in today’s world is not surprising.
Why was the trailer of Meri Pyaari Bindu released in five parts?
In this age when there is so much content out there, we thought it was a really innovative and new way of presenting a trailer. After the first chapter was released, people kept calling it a teaser. There was an expectation of a particular graph which every film follows. I think it was the genius of Maneesh (Sharma), Akshay (Roy) and the marketing team of Yash Raj Films that they thought of this new way and the film is also like that. It is like a chapter of different times of their life.
Why did you choose to do Golmaal Again?
I genuinely love making people laugh even in real life, sometimes at the risk of making fun of myself. Right from my first film Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, I was a comedian, I did a lot of comedy in Hasee Toh Phasee. So, Golmaal was the perfect film. I wanted to do a big commercial film and wanted to work with Rohit sir (Shetty) and Golmaal came in. Also, Golmaal is a film which I had to do because I love the franchise; I loved the first three films.
You are making your singing debut with this film. Why this decision?
I wanted to sing professionally and I found this beautiful song which suited my voice, so I sang. It’s that simple. I never had a plan of only launching (my music) in a film. If a single would have come before, I would have done it there. The point was to release a good song.
Actor Parineeti or singer Parineeti, who would you rate higher?
You have to tell me that, I don’t know. I think I have done more than decently well in my acting, won a lot of awards etc., thankfully even with my music, I have done really well, so I think there is an acceptance there also. As of now, I am a new singer, I am a budding singer I can say. I can’t really choose. Singing is my first love but I will do both of them simultaneously.
Other actresses have also been singing. So, was there a pressure?
I have learned music for years and have given exams. For me, the only pressure was to perform it correctly. It was a prestige issue for me being a classically trained singer. I made sure no machines were used and there was nothing in the studio to fix my voice. What you hear in Mana Ke Hum is absolutely the take that I gave in the studio.
Would you like to follow your sister Priyanka Chopra’s footsteps into Hollywood?
Yes, why not? If I get a good platform to do a good role, then why not? A film is a film. It could be in any language.
Did you like Priyanka’s MET Gala dress?
It was brilliant! I love sporty looks on red carpet. So, that trench coat…you know MET Gala is meant for drama, it is meant to make a statement and she did it brilliantly!
How do you react when compared to your sister?
There is no comparison with my sister! She is way ahead. She is doing it at the international level. There is absolutely no comparison between us. Until Ishaqzaade, I was Priyanka Chopra’s cousin, people had to explain who I was but the plan was to hold my own and that happened from my second film onwards. She is not only an inspiration for me, she is an inspiration to every girl in the world. I look at it only as a bonus in my life that she is such a successful actress apart from being an amazing sister. Also, she is 17 years ahead of me in her career! There can’t be any comparison.
