All of a sudden, Prachi Desai is a star, 'kasam se'! Not that she wasn't. She was considered one while on the small screen, but the big screen is a different ball game altogether. And not just a star - she's spoken of in informed circles as the newest version of India's Sweetheart, like Karisma Kapoor decades before.
The film that made her one was Abhishek Kapoor's Rock On, where her sweet rasp and expressive features saw her as a perfect romantic foil for Farhan Akhtar's panicked banker role and a morally tested rockstar.
We spoke with the petite actress on a Sunday morning, almost brunch time though, to talk about her on going rocking life. She cheerfully replied, "It's a different feeling now and definitely a change for the better.
Rock On will always be special for me. But I have to move on and can't stick to the films success always". Listening to Prachi's comment, we move on to Life Partner, her second offering which also happens to be Abbas Mustan's first production directed by Rumi Jaffery. Miss Desai takes me back on how the film landed up at her doorstep.
"When I was shooting for Rock On, I got a call from Rumi Jaffery, who wanted to meet me regarding a film he was making. Because it was my first meeting with him, he did not narrate the entire script to me.
Rumi had one thing very clear that he wanted me to be a part of Life Partner. But I got the film because it was a romantic comedy and I'm sure he must've seen me on the small screen before signing me", said Prachi.
She also isn't in a hasty mood to sign anything. "I have been warned right from the beginning that I cannot afford to be making wrong and hasty decisions just because I'm new", comments the actress.
So is moving on from the small screen to the big screen a hasty or a wrong decision? Answers Prachi, "I think that was a smart move because the daily soap I was doing was about to take a twenty year leap which I wasn't ready for. I didn't want to play a mother of a twenty one year old."
Friendship is where the story of Life Partner picks up from. The said film, as described by Prachi Desai, is about relationships before marriage and how tough it gets after tying the knot. But how tough was it for the actress to be working with a director who made a flop like God Tussi Great Ho was something which she had to answer.
"That's very true. I began shooting for Life Partner immediately after Rock On. After I finished my first schedule of filming for Life Partner, I saw the promos of God Tussi...and then came to know that the film did not perform well at the box office.
More sad to know is the fact that the film got released after three to four years in the making. But that was past and its over. After Life Partner releases, I will surely say - 'God Tussi Great Ho'", replied Prachi.
The actress reveals that she has signed yet another film after Life Partner, but does not want to mention the name of the film nor the director.
All she comes out open with is, "The only thing I can tell you is that I will start shooting for my third film from March' 09 onwards. It's a big production house film. Give me a month's time and I will be out in the open with the name of the film".
To be working with Abbas Mustan is nothing short of an achievement. You have to be lucky and lucky she is. "The first thing I noticed about Life Partner was that Abbas Mustan were producing it.
I would love to work with them under their direction too, as I've grown up watching their films like Baazigar, Ajnabee and Soldier", said the chirpy actress. With so much said and done, I quizzed Prachi on whether she is looking forward to win many awards for her stunning debut performance come Jan and Feb '09.
And to my surprise, in a relaxed tone, she said, "I've already won a debut award in Kolkata where Rock On also won the Best Film. I've also won an award just a couple of day back as a 'Sabse Favourite Heroine' which was showcased on Star Gold. Now I am looking forward for more. I am really happy that I've received these two awards."
Ga-ga over awards, she also cannot stop showering praise on her competitive colleagues.
"I'd heard so much about Mugdha's performance in Fashion that I had to watch the film. I saw it and can now believe what everyone was talking about. Mugdha's role wasn't the typical, sweet heroine types. She was amazing in Fashion.
I haven't seen Adah Sharma's 1920 but have seen Sonal Chauhan in Jannat. She was good too. But the one who is likely to win is Anushka Sharma from Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. She was brilliant. It's a tough competition this time."
With New Year just a couple of days away, Prachi tells us on how she wishes to celebrate the end of 2008 and look forward to a bright and successful 2009.
"I won't be in town. All my television friends will be going out of Mumbai to celebrate our New Year. It won't be as great as my last two because 26/11 has changed all of that. I am not in a mood to celebrate and will keep it low profile", said Prachi.
Well, there was just about time to ask Prachi Desai couple of last questions - one on a bad habit she would like to leave behind in 2008. She said, "I am fed up with my lazy life right now. While doing television, we used to work for 24/7.
With films it's an easy and a lazy life but a bigger and a better life too". And what about that special someone in her life? Will 2009 bring the real 'Life Partner' for this cutie pie? "I am desperately looking for young, chocolate boy; one to suit my type kind of a guy. I don't mind attending college to find my 'Life Partner'."
Prachi Desai
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