Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra will be a mentor to struggling actors in the upcoming Zee Television show Cinestars Ki Khoj. 

 

The show provides struggling actors a platform to showcase their talent. The winners will be given a ticket to Bollywood.

 

Ayushmann Khurana will also join them during the audition phase.

 

The judges of the show are actress Sonali Bendre and Dhoom 3 director Vijay Krishna Acharya. Popular TV personality Hussain Kuwajerwala will host the show.

 

Parineeti’s insights and experience in Bollywood is expected to prove of value to the contestants.

 

“I am on the show for only two weeks, as a guest. I will tell the aspiring actors what they could have done if they were on the sets. It will really help them. 

 

“They don’t know how shooting happens on the sets, with lights, camera, mike etc. From my personal experience, I am going to tell them the nuances. But I can’t teach them because I am not experienced enough,” she says.

 

 

 

Apparently, Parineeti was chosen for the show because her story of an aspiring investment banker starting out as a PR consultant and becoming a star will be inspiring for the participants.

 

After studying in England, the recession made jobs in banking scarce, so she came to India and applied to Yash Raj Productions and got a job. 

 

“After one-and-a-half years I thought of giving acting a shot. The good thing is I did not struggle. I got my first film, Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, easily,” she says.

 

Parineeti’s advice to aspiring contestants is to have a plan B. 

 

“I have a backup plan. Everybody should have a backup plan. I am a banker. The day you all get bored of me and don’t want to watch my films, I will go back to banking” she smiles.

 

“Don’t leave your job without getting an acting offer,” she advises. “Very few people in the industry are lucky to get a film without much struggle and be successful. If you aspire to be an actor, go ahead. But do have a backup plan because you can’t predict your future in the industry.”

 

The ‘casting couch’ -- euphemism for lecherous men who hold the levers in the industry -- is prevalent, so what advice would she give aspiring actors? 

 

“Don’t sit on that couch!” she laughs loudly.

 

Parineeti is happy that she has mentors like director Manish Sharma and producer Aditya Chopra.

 

“My mentor is one and only Maneesh Sharma. He is the one who spotted me. Then I would say Adi. I can call them in the middle of the night and ask them for advice.”

 

The lively actor has recently signed a film with Saif Ali Khan, which will be produced by Saif’s production house. 

 

“Yes, I am doing a film with Saif which will be directed by Dinesh Vijan. I can’t talk much about the film but hopefully it will start in October,” she confirmed.

 

Saif said in a recent interview that his daughter is a huge fan of Parineeti Chopra. 

 

“I read about it two days ago. I didn’t know that she had said such lovely things. She and I should sit together and talk about Saif because I am his biggest fan,” Parineeti said. 

 

Asked how she manages to stay so grounded, she joked, “My weight. I am very heavy. I can’t fly.” 

 

Does she think it will be easier for aspiring actors to get a foothold in the industry if they have backing, like she had from her cousin Priyanka Chopra?

 

“I think for many people it could have been, but in my case it didn’t happen. Because I was working already in Yash Raj Films, and I was supported by Aditya Chopra and Manish Sharma. It had nothing to do with being Priyanka’s sister or anything.”

 

Surprisingly, Parineeti believes age doesn’t matter in Bollywood. 

 

“There could be someone as young as Alia Bhatt who started at the age of 17 and actress Rekha, who is still acting."

 

“Looks, luck or talent doesn’t matter; it’s all about jiski kismat main kya leekha hai woh aga jatha hai.”

 

She added, “I think for me, being with Yashraj is helping me because I started with them. Adi as a producer and I as an actress have a great equation, like Sid (Siddharth Malhotra) and Varun (Dhawan) have a great friend in Karan (Johar).”

 

Parineeti doesn’t want to comment on the hot topic of Preity Zinta and Ness Wadia. 

 

“I don’t know them personally and I wouldn’t like to comment on it. If she was my friend I would have definitely said something.”

 

Finally, Parineeti says she is open to do television work if something interesting comes along.