Star Struck

A new entrant is Parineeti Chopra. Her first film,Ladies vs Ricky Bahl,won her instant fame and a slew of awards. Her second film,Ishaqzaade,due for release on May 11,will be her acid test for survival in the industry. The audience will see my versatility in this film,and they can be the judge, she says.

Like Chopra,there have been a few,who have had a dream start in Bollywood. Ranveer Singh,Sonakshi Sinha,Ali Zafar,Asin Thottumkal,and Rajeev Khandelwal are names that instantly come to mind. Although the industry and the audience think they are talented,the actors know it will be a while before they can carry a film on their shoulders.

Zafar,however,says that he was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. After Tere Bin Laden,I patiently waited for the right opportunity, he says. He chose to play the second fiddle in Yash Raj Films Mere Brother Ki Dulhan,which in retrospect was a smart move,to be a part of Bollywoods biggest banner. One has to also guard oneself from complacency,says Khandelwal who was launched successfully with Aamir. Nothing can assure permanence in the industry. There are no formulas. It is about breaking rules and pushing boundaries that will help you reach there, he says.

Filmmaker Abhishek Sharma,who launched Zafar and Pradhyuman Singh in Tere Bin Laden,explains the phenomenon. A dream debut doesnt mean anything,if you dont follow it up well. It8217;s about working with the right directors and choosing the right scripts. Newcomers in the industry are naive and grab any opportunity to play a lead. That8217;s where they go wrong. Overnight stardom is a double-edged sword,says director Raj Kumar Gupta,While it gives you the initial push,it could make you do the same kind of roles.

Hrithik Roshan,one of the most famous stories of an overnight success,in an earlier interview,admitted to have faltered after his instant rise to fame. Roshan says,Many people expected me to have a string of hits,but I was pushed and nudged by conditioned mindsets to do what I thought worked for me. It came from an insecurity of being a star. After his superhit debut Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai,he was celebrated as the next superstar but had six flops before he could find his feet again with Koi…Mil Gaya.

Similarly,Vivek Oberoi,after the success of Company and Saathiya,was hailed as Bollywoods next big thing. A filmmaker who has worked with Oberoi on conditions of anonymity says,Overnight stardom is shortlived unless you can market your strengths,and cultivate media contacts. Vivek could have been the biggest star today had he handled his success well and focused only on his work.

It takes much more than passion and industry contacts to stay anchored. Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt,who has been instrumental in creating overnight stars such as Rahul Roy,Anu Agarwal,Kangna Ranaut and Pooja Bhatt,says,I have seen actors who have been stars at 20 and nobodies at 21. When a film becomes a super hit,the actors thinks that they are the sole architects of the film and move on to prove that by signing more films. But nothing stays like success in Bollywood.

Acting is not a
do-or-die situation for me

Ahead of the release of Ishaqzaade,Parineeti Chopra talks about making the shift from banking to acting and what cousin Priyanka Chopra told her

In Ladies vs Ricky Bahl,you seemed so natural. What took you so long to get into the profession?

I always thought acting was beneath me,that actors are useless,brainless and all they do is apply make-up and complain that they are tired after a shoot or an interview. Then I started working for Yash Raj Films YRF,and interacted with Shahid Kapoor,Anushka Sharma,Ranveer Singh,and Deepika Padukone,thats when I realised the amount of work that goes into it and I fell in love with the medium.

You came to Mumbai to pursue a banking career. What happened then?

I grew up wanting to be a banker. I studied banking in Manchester and had dreams of working either in USA,London or Singapore. However,after my course ended,I couldn8217;t find a job in the UK because of the recession. I did not want to go back home to Ambala,so,I decided to come to Mumbai. Priyanka Chopra was then shooting for Pyaar Impossible and I was hanging out with her. I asked if I could intern in the finance or administration departments at YRF. After six months,I got an opening in their marketing division.

Then how did you become an actor?

As a typical 23-year-old,I was getting bored with my job. I told Maneesh Sharma this,he had become a good friend. I said I wanted to become an actor and was thinking of joining an acting school. However,I got to know later that he had spoken to Aditya Chopra already,even before our conversation. On the sly,he sent me to Shanoo Sharma the casting director who auditioned me and in no time,I had signed a three-film deal with Yash Raj Films.

Did you believe that you had the traits of being an actor?

Not at all. I was 80 kilos and huge. Cinema is a visual medium and one needs to look good on screen. Also,I don8217;t like the other parts that came along with acting I hate dressing up,wearing make-up,and going on photo shoots. The only thing I like about acting,is acting. And that was the only reason I decided to go for it.

What do you think of your image now?

Most actors cringe when they see themselves on screen,but I love to see myself. In fact,when I was watching Ladies vs Ricky Bahl,I kept laughing at Dimple Chaddha8217;s jokes,even though I had repeated them so many times during the shoot.

Debuting in a supporting role isn8217;t an ideal launch. Did you have any apprehensions?

No. I was happy to have got a film with YRF. Adi told me that if I could pull this one off,I would have made a place for myself.

Was Ishaqzaade a cakewalk then?

Of course not. When Habib Faisal called me the first time,I was confident that he was calling me to cast me in his film. But when I met him,he said I am nothing like the character Zoya. I was upset,because I thought after my first film,I knew everything about acting. Then he put me through two months of rigorous training,and after the auditions,he signed me for the film.

Did you grow up in a filmi environment?

I was a nerd in school and I never watched films. This is what makes me spontaneous as an actor. I8217;m not influenced easily. I will never look at a Rani Mukerjee film and say,I want to act exactly like her.

Does the thought of failure scare you?

Failure scares me a lot. I am an ambitious girl and I8217;ll give it my all in whatever I do. But this is not a do-or-die situation for me. I always have my degree to fall back on.

How did Priyanka react to your change in profession?

She said,Mujhe toh pehle hi pata tha. Tu toh ek number ki nautanki hai. I knew it all along. Youre a drama queen. But she also said be true to myself and work hard,no matter what heights I reach.

Were your parents supportive of your decision to take up acting?

When I told my dad that I had quit my job,he thought I would finally work at a bank. But then I told him I am going to join Bollywood and that I already have three films. He was shocked,my mom started crying; it took me some time to convince them. I told her,Don8217;t worry mom,I8217;m in good hands. Today,they are happy to see me act.