Parineeti Chopra, the new member in the Golmaal team, tells Angela Paljor how she looks for variety in her choices
luck has been on Parineeti Chopra’s side ever since her accidental audition tape while working as a Public Relation consultant for Band Baaja Baarat landed up with some creatives and paved the way to her becoming the diva of the industry. Chopra has been in town for the promotion of her forthcoming film, Golmaal Again. “I live to make people laugh. And I was looking forward to do a comedy film all this while and nothing can get bigger and better than Golmaal. Simultaneously, I was also looking to work with a masala entertainer and in this perspective no one can be better than Rohit Shetty. A combination of the director and the script was the perfect film for me,” shares Chopra, who is tired and sleep deprived after the long shoots, and constantly revs herself up with a sip of coffee.
While the Golmaal franchise is associated with the characters like Gopal, the one who breaks fingers, lucky Gill, who doesn’t speak at all, and the other boys, Chopra didn't leave a single stone unturned to make her character stand out. “I might not have been as mad as the boys in the film but I had the chance of doing something I have never done before.”
Golmaal Again is the fourth Indian movie franchise to have four installments after CID 999 Franchise, CBI Franchise and Raaz Series. To create a twist, Rohit Shetty has added a new character — the ghost. While the cast runs away from the ghost, their reactions create ripples of humour.
Chopra’s debut film, ladies Vs Ricky Behl, just gave a gist of her talent. But her acting skills were effortless and she was acclaimed by critics. And her short yet effective performance won her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award (2011). “There is no particular genre that any particular actor can be defined with. You can have your favourites. With Golmaal and my next films like Namastey Canada, Takadum and Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, I’m trying to find variety so that I don’t get bored. Neither does the audience. The essential aspect is to keep the viewers constantly entertained.”
From Zoya Qureshi in Ishaqzaade to Bindu Shankarnarayanan in Meri Pyaari Bindu, she follows her director. “My method is my director — everything is up to him. I come to the set with nothing in my mind. So I listen to the director and follow him or her. Especially in the case of Golmaal Again since I have never worked in this space as such — it was crucial to trust and listen to Rohit sir. There is nothing more important than that.”
While the characters she has portrayed till now have been distinct, yet they always revolve around a couple. This is her first ensemble film. “Kill Dil had just four of us but this one has 19 principal characters which was new for me. Tabu ma’am and me have been a part of the film because we bring something to the floor. Though it’s not centred around a female protagonist but we both have a crucial part to play — the backbones of the story.”
The 28-year-old actor feels that with time things change, be it anything — fashion, films, technology and so on. “So, we being a part of the entertainment sector have to keep on delivering to the audience as per their preferences. With the viewers developing a strong inclination towards good content, they can easily shift to another medium. One really has to make a mark — thus everyone has to work really hard to impress them.”
Chopra is open to working on other platforms as well. “From my point of view, content is what matters, be it films, television or the digital platform. For me the medium and the language does not matter, what matters is my performance,” she adds.
Photos: Pankaj Kumar