It's real-kickass role:Priyanka

Remember those Mata Hari/Catwoman comic-book heroines? Priyanka Chopra harks back to the comic-book heroine of yore in Goldie Behl's Drona.

It's a F-X spectacle done up in the full-on comic-strip mould with Abhishek Bachchan playing a bespectacled nerd in the US.

"And guess what? I play Abhishek's bodyguard. It's a real-kickass role, and a first of its kind since we've never had the leading lady 'protecting' the hero…unless we remember Hemaji in those hunterwalli movies like Jyoti she looked after the hero. "

No wonder Priyanka is often looked on as the new-millennium Hema.

"Really?" Priyanka laughs. "I'm flattered. My entire look in Drona is very virile and aggressive. "

Priyanka learnt a special strain of the martial arts for her unique-dimensional role in Drona. "I had learnt some kung- fu for Don. But this is different. It's a full-on actioner for me, with kicks and somersaults galore. I quite enjoyed the cuts and bruises. "

She agrees her Drona look and body language is unlike anything she has done before. Quite like what stylist Anaita Shroff did with Aishwarya Rai in Dhoom 2.

"Yeah, we've the same stylist. But my character is more action-oriented. In fact for a change it's the leading lady doing more of the dada-giri than the hero," she laughs.

While she has been staying away from signing new films Priyanka has been doing a lot of ads. "I've been taking the time before my next bunch of assignments making money through ads and live shows. What I do next will have to take me beyond Drona. "

Priyanka: Ugly side of fashion

Before becoming Miss India World and later becoming Miss World 2000 Priyanka had walked the ramp as a model and that made her a great choice for Madhur Bhandarkar's next project that dwells on the darker side of a career in modeling.

The film titled, ‘Fashion Show: The Ugly Side of Beautiful People’, is being bankrolled by UTV with whom Priyanka recently signed a three-film contract worth Rs.4 to 5 crore. Also in the film is Kangana Ranaut, who has the looks and demeanor of a model and with whom UTV has a similar three film contract.

Under the UTV contract both Priyanka and Kangana enjoy artistic freedom and the two decided to sign up only because they felt the roles suited them well. Many supermodels are also expected to feature in the film though Priyanka Chopra will play the lead.

Madhur Bhandarkar, who has so far done low budget critically acclaimed films like ‘Chandni Bar’, ‘Page 3’, ‘Corporate’ and ‘Traffic Signal’ in the recent past, is venturing into the big league with Fashion which is budgeted at Rs 20 crore.

Madhur has yet to finish the first screen play and is understandably reluctant to talk about the cast or the roles. The film is expected to hit the floors on September 15 and lavish runways are being erected at Nitin Desai's Studios in Karjat.

Rohit Bal has been signed up as the fashion consultant for the film and will also make a special appearance in the film.

It's party time for Priyanka!!!

There's much reason for happiness in Priyanka's place. This week both Priyanka and her brother Siddharth turn a year older.

Laughs Priyanka, "Yes, it's party time for us. My kid-brother Siddharth celebrates his birthday on 12 July while my birthday is six days later on the 18th."

So a joint celebration for the Chopra siblings?

"I'd love to," exults the doting Didi. "But Siddharth is turning 18 and he wants to bring in his birthday in a big way with his friends. So Siddharth will have a big party of his own."

The surprise bash at the Chopras' would be the one Priyanka is planning on her own birthday for the first time.

"That's true.I've never had any kind of party ever since I came into this industry. Friends keep teasing me about it. I'm not a party person. Believe it or not, I'm shy of crowds. Also, the past few years have hardly given me reason to feel like celebrating," Priyanka's voice gets distant as she recalls her father's serious illness.

Perking up she says, "Yeah I'm having a birthday party for the first time. Not a huge one. Just 40-50 close friends and family. That's all."

Getting reflective she says, "I can't believe how much time has passed. I'm suddenly feeling old! Seriously. Professionally I've no reason to complain. At home we've gone through some turbulent times. Hopefully we're out of it."

Priyanka Chopra Wallpapers