By: Sandhya Chalasani

Priyanka Chopra, the ex-miss world, is all set to fire the Bollywood screen soon. Although her debut film yet to see the light of the day, she is still flooded with offers. To be precise, she has 11 films in hands including Andaaz with Akshay Kumar and The Hero with Sunny Deol. Like Aishwarya Rai, she has chosen to step into the tinsel world through southern films. Though her debut film, Tamilian with Vijay, bombed, she is not disappointed. She is now doing another south Indian film, Apooroopam (Telugu).

Indiainfo met her on the sets of that film in Hyderabad. Excerpts from an interview...

You have Miss World title, so why regional movies?

I love acting. Region and language is unimportant to me. Besides, I was cast opposite Vijay, one of the leading Tamil stars, so I agreed.

How is it working in an environment where people don't speak your language?

Yeah, initially it was tough. I can manage with any language now. At present, I am also working in Telugu. Language hardly matters for an actress.

What is your criterion for selecting movies?

I am very selective. My first preference is always script. I was supposed to do Humraaz. But they had changed the script midway. So I logged off from that project. After script, I will consider Banner value and the director.

But what is the credential of Sridevi, the producer of Apooroopam?

See, even before, I stepped into film acting, she had approached me. Since then, she has been asking me to be in her film. After listening the story fully, I thought it was a different subject and gave my nod to it.

Why are your Bollywood projects getting delayed?

I don't know. In Bollywood, everything takes for years. But I hope Andaaz would release soon.

People in the industry say that you are from "Sunny's Camp"?

I hate this labeling. I am doing two films with Sunny - The Hero, being directed by 'Gadar' fame Anil Sharma and Gandhi. So there are a few people who say I belong to his camp. They seem to overlook the fact that I'm also working with Ajay Devgan in ASAR and with Govinda in Ek Hasina Ek Deewana.

Do you think you have bleak chances now in Bollywood as your pal Diya Mirza didn't make it to?

Unfortunately, Ms India's are judged more harshly than other actresses. Media went on hammer and tongs at Diya Mirza, though she had done her job well in all her films. If her films failed, it's hardly her fault. Around here everyone salutes only the rising sun. So, I am eagerly waiting for fate of my films. But I sincerely hope I'm judged on my merits. I've noticed the tendency to club all the ex-beauty queens under one category. That is bad.

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