Been living out of suitcase for the past one year: Priyanka Chopra

There are celebrities who have the gift of the gab. Priyanka Chopra is one of them. While most actors hate promoting and giving interviews to the media, she admittedly loves doing it. “I just love talking to people,” she announces before we settle for a quick chat at IIFA 2016. She performed at the awards event in Madrid this year, singing on stage for the first time at any awards show. Looking stunning in a Marc Jacobs sequined black midi skirt coupled with a black tank top, she settles for a quick one-on-one.
Excerpts:

You performed to 'Pinga.' People would have loved to see Deepika and you do it together...
I know. Initially, I guess that was the plan. But then I think they changed it. Don’t ask me why, I have no clue.

Today, with both Deepika and you making your debuts in the West, more than the hype, there’s so much more respect for Indian actors. Comment.
Oh, absolutely! That was always the idea. Honestly, I am in a very happy space right now. Most people don’t know that, initially, the character of the villain in Baywatch was written for a man and I was offered a different part. But I chose not to play the sidekick. And Victor became Victoria.

Both you and Deepika clearly didn’t want a small role. With this, do you think, open windows for other Indian actors to get the same in the West?
I don’t know about anybody else. But for me, I have a show that has done tremendously well globally which is a validation that I have done what I had to. My film (Baywatch) has not released, so you cannot talk about it. Kya hoga uske saath, who knows! For me, my gratification comes for me in a country where I don’t come from. My work is respected, not the fact that I am a superstar and I reached America. I don’t think my achievements — whether it’s being on the cover of TIME, going to the Oscars, the People’s Choice Awards, the Teen Choice nomination and the show doing so well everywhere — all of that is very little. There’s so much more that I need to do to be able to have Indian actors get the kind of respect that we deserve. By doing a one-off film, you don’t become someone. It has to consistently happen. So I am really grateful with the kind of respect that has come my way. But if I have to choose between 1 to 10, I am still 1, despite all that I have achieved already. That’s why I’m not talking about Baywatch because including that would be unfair. It has not released yet. So you will say, ‘Achha, you have signed a film’. But you can’t judge that now. You judge it on Friday when it releases on May 19 next year. Today, my show comes everyday.
Every weekend to so many countries, including ours. So then, I can say that Maine yeh kaam acha kiya, tumko achha laga. But still, I think there’s a lot more I want to do and I need to do.

Playing a negative character has worked wonders for you. Expecting the same with Baywatch?
See, Baywatch is a comedy. So it’s not going to be serious like a 7 Khoon Maaf or an Aitraaz. It’s more like how Joker is to Batman, or like the Bond villains are. There’s sarcasm, the humour. It’s all tongue-in-cheek, so I definitely think Victoria will be very, very liked. After all, there aren’t too many people who can intimidate The Rock. And Victoria did!

What will your schedule be like now?
So, I go back and I pack my bags again because I leave for New York to shoot Quantico Season 2. For the last one year, I have been living out of the suitcase. So now people can see me running around in New York.

What about films?
I am planning to take up two films — preferably one Hindi and one probably in the US, which I will begin next March mostly. Before that, I will be busy with Quantico. See, I simultaneously worked in Bajirao Mastani and Quantico, but it was too hectic and very difficult to do. I did it during Baywatch and Quantico as well. Then again, if I like something, maybe! It’s so much work and exhausting. It won’t be fair to either of them. So right now, I am taking the time to decide which film I will have to do.

Have you picked any?
It has to be something special. Because if I am doing only one film in Hindi, it has to be big, beautiful and incredible.

There were talks about you being roped in for the Kalpana Chawla biopic, then there was the superhero film and Gustakhiyaan...
See, there are many choices right now. But I don’t know which one I’ll do. I am deciding. You should see my bedside. I am reading 16 scripts currently. From both countries. I am assessing and seeing what will work best for me. I will be doing only one or two films next year. So, I have to put my head to it and decide.

Any particular genre?
I always like dramas. So in all certainty, another drama.

You seem to have the best of both the worlds...
No! I want the whole world! (Laughs)