She came, she saw and she conquered – this is the best way to describe Parineeti Chopra, the Bollywood actress who was introduced to us as one of the ladies in Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl! Since then, she has been essaying one challenging role after the other and winning fans all around the world, especially in India and Pakistan. Be it Zoya in Ishaqzaade, Gayatri in Shuddh Desi Romance or the supporting role of Dimple in LvRB, Parineeti has excelled in every role she has portrayed.

She may be the younger cousin of Bollywood stalwart Priyanka Chopra, but Parineeti had an eye on the banking sector before her heart made her venture into showbiz. On the eve of the release of her fourth film, Hasee Toh Phasee, the very confident Parineeti Chopra talks to Instep about her work, her aspirations and her friends in Pakistan!

Instep: Your first three films were released under the Yash Raj banner. How would you sum up the experience?

Parineeti Chopra: I have been lucky enough to have worked with Yash Raj Productions and delivering three back-to-back hits from that platform. I was introduced by the very production house and it remains close to my heart since they believed in me when I didn’t even believe in myself!

Instep: Dharma Productions’ Hasee Toh Phasee is your first film outside the Yash Raj banner. How would you compare the working environment of the two production houses?

Parineeti: I am quite excited about working with Karan (Johar) who is a great filmmaker himself. Bohat acha lag raha hai since he treats you like a friend rather than an actor working for him. He has been a help to many youngsters in the past and I am very excited to work in Hasee Toh Phasee for which he is the producer. He and Aditya (Chopra) are not that different and I am happy to have worked with both.

Instep: How different is Hasee Toh Phasee from your other films?

Parineeti: This movie is a romcom where I am paired opposite Sidharth Malhotra. My character is different from the ones I have portrayed so far. I deliberately choose such difficult roles so that I can give my 100 percent  to the film. I am sure that my fans and movie lovers will like Hasee Toh Phasee just as they have loved my other films.

Instep: You have been paired with newcomers in each of your movies – Arjun Kapoor in Ishaqzaade, Sushant Singh Rajput in SDR, etc. Who gets to make that decision, you?

Parineeti: When I get an offer to work in a film, the hero is usually selected or shortlisted. I don’t have much say in that. What I do have a say in is rejecting the scripts in which my role is not substantial, appealing or to my liking. I want to work with my seniors. I really do. But I wouldn’t want to appear on the screen for a couple of minutes just for that. So far, whichever movies I have done are the ones I really wanted to do!

Instep: Which ‘A-league’ actors do you want to work with, provided the chance?

Parineeti: I am a huge fan of Ranbir Kapoor and would love to work alongside him in the coming years. I grew up watching the Khans and working with Salman ‘Dabangg’ Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Shah Rukh Khan would be like a dream come true.

Instep: Speaking of ‘A-league’, how about working with your cousin, Priyanka Chopra?

Parineeti: Priyanka is a very good actress and I want to be as successful as her in the future. She is 10 years older than me so I can only look up to her and try to learn from her performances. There is no comparison between us, and it is only because of the media that we are ‘pitted against each other’. I hope to work with her in the future, and I am sure that if we ever get to work together, it would be in a truly fantastic film!

Instep: Tell us about your future projects.

Parineeti: I am already doing Daawat-e-Ishq with Habib Faisal who also directed me in Ishaqzaade. Aditya Roy Kapoor is also in the movie. There are a few other films in the pipeline, including Kill Dill, where I get to share the screen with Govinda and Rani Mukherjee!

Instep: What do you have to say about your fans in Pakistan?

Parineeti: I am very thankful to all those people in Pakistan who like my work and watch my movies. Aap logon se guzarish hai ke mere lye isi tarah dua karte raha karein. I want you to remember me in your prayers.

Instep: Any plans of crossing the border and meeting your fans?

Parineeti: Actually I have lots of friends in Pakistan. My best friend Shahzeb Ali is from Karachi and I would like to say ‘Hi!’ to him through this chat. I believe it is a great thing that we share the same language, the same culture and that’s what makes us so similar. I hope to visit the country soon and meet my fans in person. Thank you for your love and support.