Having played M C Mary Kom in this year's September release by the same name, Priyanka Chopra will turn producer with Madhur Bhandarkar's Madamji. The former Miss World has dabbled in various things since her beauty pageant days including acting and singing. She is currently one of the highest-paid female actors in the country today. Chopra, or Piggy Chops as she is also known, speaks to Urvi Malvania about producing films, the wage disparity in Bollywood today and her views on women safety in the country. Excerpts:
With Madamji, you'll be turning producer. How did that happen?
The way I see it. I don't know why I decided to go into production. I never really had plans seriously. A lot of my family has started coming into movies and all and I realised there is a (void). I meet so many people, ADs, writer et cetera who have tremendous talent and really no space to (make a start). Nobody to give them an opportunity. (This is) especially true for Bombay. It is called 'Mayanagari' for a reason. The idea behind it was to make small films with great stories. I think the time has come now (for such films). I think the audiences are ready for great stories in small films and opportunities. I am a very baby production house. The idea though, is to make films and (tell) stories I believe in. They may be good, bad, strange or ugly, I don't know yet. And promote new talent. We are starting with Madamji. It just so happened that Madhur (Bhandarkar) came to me with Madamji and it was something I got really excited about and I thought what not do it together? It is a big stepping stone for my production house as well. He was keen on it as well, so we partnered and are doing it together.
So the focus is to promote new talent?
I would not say that. The point is to tell great stories. If it can have new talent, then so be it. If I cast other people (apart from the established ones), then great. I have never taken films based on actors, so I am never going to make films because of actors. I love stories and I want to be able to tell them. They (the films) will be small of course. I am not a big producer to be able to make films (so huge) as of now. I am looking at more scripts. Currently, I am in the middle of Bajirao Mastani and putting together Madamji. I want to get the script (for Madamji) right and get the casting correct. The film should start by January (2015). Between my job as an actor, musician and producer, my team gets pulled in many directions. They are the ones leading it. I am, however, reading a lot of new material and meeting people.The immediate goal is to set up home for Purple Pebble Pictures. I am putting together a team at the moment. Over the next one ot one-and-a-half months, we should have the team and office in place.
Like Madamji, will most of the films under the banner be co-productions?
I believe majorly in collaborations in everything I do. Whether it is production or (any other) business. I believe in holding hands and exploiting talent. I am not all about me and just (going) solo. So yes, there will be a tremendous amount of collaborations for the things I work (on). All the films under the banner will definitely not star me. But yes, I would love to work with good film makers and I'll be glad if somebody wants to make small films with me!
What is the update on your music career? Any new singles any time soon?
I have not gone back to LA for almost a year now. Between Zoya (Akhtar's) film and Mary Kom releasing and Bajirao starting, I just have not gone back. So I do not know what I am doing next (in music). But, I am going back in January-February and will then re-focus on my music (career). The thing is I am tremendously divided between India and LA and it's a little difficult to focus on both careers. That is why its been slower and sporadic for cause I don't want to take a chance with either. I do not want to put either on the backburner.
A lot of Bollywood celebrities are seeing sports as an investment area. Do you plan to go that way?
Not really. I guess I am a girl with a brain and so I want to be able to create different things. I do not know where I'll go and what I'll do. But I am not a 'me too'. If an interesting sport comes by, never say never, but not as of now for sure.
Bollywood still suffers from a disparity in the remuneration of male and female actors. Are you seeing any change? What needs to be done to bridge the gap?
They (the female actors) are paid even less. I don't think its really up to us (the actors) to make a change. No matter how successful you are and by God's grace, I have been pretty consistent throughout my career, but price points have always been like these. The gap (between male and female actor pay cheques) may not have widened much, but it has definitely not narrowed. I do not know what can be done. I do feel that when female-centric films start making box office money, when they start opening on the first weekends like the boys' movies do, I think it will be time for a change. The change, however, has happened in terms of the parts we have today. We never had parts like these earlier. When I joined the movies, we did not have parts like these, when I did Aitraaz and Fashion, people were blown out of their minds and told me I can't take on responsibilites like these. They told me that I have to be hiding behind the guy because only then will the film be big and successful, and consequently I'll be successful. I disagree with this even now. When I did Aitraaz, it was a team-led effort. That did not deter me, nor did it change the fact that my part in the film was amazing. I want to be able to films like that. Like Barfi! I had my part, but then there were Ranbir (Kapoor) and Ileana (D'Cruz), and Anurag (Basu) is a star in himself. Same thing with Kaminey, where there is a Shahid (Kapoor) and Vishal (Bhardwaj) and then I have a small, but really tough part. Since that change has already happened, it's a great time for female actors in Hindi movies, from the art perspective. When it comes to remuneration, logically, my brain tells me that once our movies start doing business like the boys' movies, our pay cheques will increase. I am really happy that Mary Kom opened at the numbers it did, from this point of view. The change will take a while to happen and I hope that the generation after mine, will see more equal remunerations for the leading men and ladies.
Would you want to try your hand at direction next?
Oh God no! Everytime I go onto a set, I just look at the director and say 'Man, I think I'll have a heart attack if I have to do that!' It is so much responsibility. But then with me, never say never. I surprise myself as well most times. I do not think I know so much about cinema as yet. So for now, no plans for direction.
You are an active voice on the issue of women safety and girl child rights. What are your plans to further the cause?
That is not a plan. That is something that is ongoing. I have not just been an advocate, but I (want to) champion the cause since I feel there are very few women with a voice in this country. Also, there are very few women who voice an opinion, get a backlash from it, but do not back down. They sit back and say it again. I am not going to stop saying it. I shall say it until I make a dent. I try to do my bit with UNICEF and the UN. I am bringing a movie to India called Girl Rising. But I feel the issue is we are deflecting from the main issue. We are talking about girls wearing certain amount and type of clothes, or how we should take defence classes. We are deflection from what the (real) issue is. We need to start defending the girls of the country. The guys need to start realising this. The mindsets need to change. People need to start feeling that any girl walking on the street is their responsibility to defend. They should feel violated when a girl's modesty is violated. That will come with education and awareness and dialogue about the relevant issues. A girl does not get raped because she is wearing a short dress! She gets raped because the guy cannot control himself. It's he who needs to be shamed and made to feel horrible and not the girl. I feel very strongly about the issue especially being a female actor in the industry. Actresses throughout generations have seen how easy it is (for people) to point fingers at them and say things about them. She is out there, in the spotlight and a super easy target. She is glamorous and men want her and women want to be like her. It just snowballs. But is it wrong for a woman to be in the film business? These are the issues I feel should be discussed and addressed and in my own way, I intend to continue doing that irrespective (of the situation).