Parineeti: Just have sex when you want to have it

Parineeti Chopra has strong opinions about live-in relationships and pre-marital sex.

In Yash Raj Films’ next Shuddh Desi Romance -- directed by Maneesh Sharma -- she will be seen in live-in relationship with her co-star, Sushant Singh Rajput. The other protagonist of the film, newcomer Vaani Kapoor, will be seen in a physical relationship with Sushant.

The film is considered ‘bold’ because it features live-in relationships and pre-marital sex, things still considered taboo in India.

Parineeti discusses all this, and the rivalry -- or lack of it -- with her famous cousin Priyanka Chopra with Patcy N.

Is Shuddh Desi Romance about live-in relationships?

Not really. We do have a live-in relationship in the movie but the film is not about that.

The film is about three people who do things their heart tells them to and are not bothered by what their parents or society will think about them. That’s where the live-in relationship comes in.

My character in the film lives with a man (Sushant Singh Rajput). She has had lots of relationships and affairs and she is open about that. That doesn’t make her a loose character. In India we have a tendency to consider a girl who has an affair as a loose character.

The beauty of these three characters is that they do all the things that our society says is wrong and taboo, but they do it in such a way that you feel that it is normal.

This is shown in a humorous and entertaining way. We are not giving advice or preaching.

Do you believe in live-in relationships?

There is nothing to believe in it. I don’t think live-in relationships are very different from marriage.

I think today live-in relationships are more out of practicality.

I am an actress; I work late at night and am free at maybe 12 or one at night. If I have boyfriend, when will I meet him? If I feel sleepy where will I sleep? I will sleep where I am. That is a live-in relationship so to say.

Even those who are not living in have pre-marital sex. If one does the same thing under one roof why is it different?

We are just saying in Shuddh Desi Romance that don’t call it wrong.

What are your views on pre-marital sex?

Nothing. You just have sex when you want to have it; it is nothing to do with pre-marital.

If you find a person you love and you feel it is right for you, you do it or if you feel it is wrong, and you want to wait for a husband, then that is okay for you.

What would Parineeti do?

First, I have to find a boy and then I will think about all these things.

How do you see your career so far?

I never thought I would be an actress. I hated actors. I felt that actors do a lot of drama about their job and try to always portray how difficult their job is. But they just get decked up and say two dialogues and go home.

I would have never come to India had I got a job in London (where she was studying). Because of the recession I couldn’t get a job, so I came to India.

No bank here gave me a job even though I had a good degree and I was a good student. There was an opening in public relations (with Yash Raj Films) so I took the job.

I began to realise that very few people can do what an actor does in front of the camera -- cry and laugh on demand and if there are 10 takes you have to cry 10 times and that too convincingly every time!

I thought I have to try this. I am glad that Maneesh Sharma (who directed Parineeti in her very first movie Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl) came into my life. He told Adi (Aditya Chopra, producer of the film) that I have found my actress.

Then I left my job and got into films.

You didn’t train to be an actor, so did your cousin Priyanka Chopra help you?

You can’t teach anyone acting. My cousin is a very good actress, but she can’t teach anyone how to act.

It never crossed my mind whether I know acting or not; the question in my mind was whether I want to act or not.

Somehow, I knew that if I went on the sets I would know how to do it.

Do you ask her for suggestions?

Yeah, every time I am confused I ask only her. Nobody in our family understands films -- they don’t understand why a script should be chosen, they don’t even know how a script should be read.

You are a good singer, have you thought of cutting an album like Priyanka?

The way she has been launched, I don’t think any singer has got such a launch.

Singers have to wait for their songs to become hits, but Priyanka has gone straight to Hollywood and sang with the likes of Pitbull, will.i.am, Gaga (Priyanka Chopra is under the same management as the pop singer Lady Gaga).

If something like that happens to me, why not, I will also cut an album.

But it is my dream at least to do playback for myself. I have been singing since I was three. I am trained in singing.

Your film and Priyanka’s will release on the same day. Any sibling rivalry?

She is my sister. I have grown up with her. I love her. Please go and watch both the films and enjoy them.

Sibling rivalry is the cheapest thing anybody can say. I don’t think how will my film do if Zanjeer releases on the same day.

Would you wear a bikini in a film?

Yes, if I have a hot body then of course. But, right now, I don’t have that kind of body. I am just a little overweight.

Every actress says that if the script demands it, then she will do it, and it is true.

But if a director says we will add a kiss in the film because it will be good for the trade, then that is ridiculous. I will never do that.

You talk a lot so how did you manage to work with Sushant Singh Rajput who hardly says a word.

There is Sushant Singh and there is Siddharth Malhotra in my life and both of them don’t talk. I told them I can’t work with you -- you guys will have to talk. Now Sid is better but Sushant is yet to learn.

There was no problem working with them. My relationship with Sushant Singh on the sets is amazing. We have the same approach to acting. We both do our homework. We both try and figure out the thought behind every dialogue... why I am standing where I am standing in the film... and we would discuss this with Maneesh.

What about Siddharth Malhotra with whom you are doing Hasee Toh Phasee?

Sid is a very different person and actor. Sid likes to discuss with the director but he is from a different school. He jokes before the take and that would distract me.

Now he knows that he should not distract me before the take. I don’t like it.

Ranveer Singh (with whom she is doing Kill Dill) is much more talkative then me. I am nothing in front of him. He is so energetic.

You have been linked with…

(Interrupts) Yes, I have been linked with so many people. First with my director Maneesh, then it is Uday Chopra and even with Jackky Bhagnani.

Ridiculous. I keep on clarifying that there is nothing brewing between us.

I have still not been linked with my co-actors, though!

When you hear these rumours how do you react?

I get most angry when people spread rumours about me and Maneesh because I owe him my career. I have love and respect for him because he changed my life.

When people say that she got the movie because she is having an affair with Maneesh, I feel very bad because they are linking me with my mentor.

Maneesh, Uday, they are all my good friends. I can call them and say there is this rubbish article about us, please ignore it and then we laugh about it.

There was a survey conducted by Jaideep Shani writer of the film…

Not Jaideep, but Ormax Media and Yash Raj went to 40 cities and spoke to students and adults to know their opinion about women smoking and pre-marital sex and the result was funny and shocking.

Parents supported arranged marriages and youngsters voted for love marriages. The survey showed how poles apart they are.

The survey also showed that people think girls who smoke cigarettes are loose characters and prostitute. 70 percent of boys polled said if a girl is a virgin till she is 18 then she is good, else she is a loose character. Many women agreed with that.

As a working woman who works late at night, do you think Mumbai is unsafe? What precautions should a woman take?

I used to always say take your male friend with you. Take somebody with you as everybody can’t afford bodyguards.

But, nowadays, even if you go with a male, he is beaten up first so that they can rape the girl.

The rape (in Mumbai recently) happened in the evening. The journalist had a male colleague with her, but things are still happening.

It is ridiculous. You have to be vigilant; beyond that you can’t do anything.

Movies are trying to show that we are a progressive society. Is that so?

You have to admit that 20 years ago there were more taboos. We are getting better with time, and it is nothing to do with movies. People themselves are changing. Their thoughts are changing, their lives are changing.

Do you think you are taking up the cause of the independent modern Indian woman in this film?

Hundred percent. About 10 years ago we never spoke about sex; now at least we are speaking about it.

Maybe 10 years from now, a sex scene will be like any other kissing scene, which today we don’t find wrong.

Sex education is happening in school. We are all born of sex so there is nothing wrong in it. That is what we our saying in our film.

Which actor were you the biggest fan of before joining films?

I am Saif Ali Khan’s biggest fan and everybody who knows me knows that.

What are your forthcoming films?

I have finished Hasee Toh Phasee, and I am starting Habib Faisal’s film with Aditya Roy Kapur.

Then I am doing Shaad Ali’s Kill Dill with Govinda and Ranveer Singh.