"I got on board with Life Partner while Rock On was still under production" - Prachi Desai

By Satish Sundaresan, Bollywood Hungama News Network

Prachi Desai is someone, who, besides being an epitome of talent, is also a fragrant bouquet of talent, hard work, sincerity and dedication ...all of which comes gift-wrapped with a smile that cannot just launch a zillion ships, but also has the ability to change the directions of humongous whirlpools!

After having become a household name with the smash hit TV serial 'Kasamh Se', Prachi Desai went onto rock the Bollywood film industry with her smashing debut in Rock On. She is back with her second venture called Life Partner, in which she is paired opposite Tusshar Kapoor.

Bollywood Hungama caught up with this ever-so-chirping girl for an exclusive interview. Here are the excerpts:

Prachi, to start with, how has life been post, Rock On?
Different! It was great when Rock On had released. Everything around me was simply enormous. I just couldn't have asked for a better launch. But now, it feels that I am starting all over again. I am so used to doing TV; that getting adjusted to the medium of films is slightly taking its time. But as I said that the feeling of 'being there, doing that' is simply great!

The promos of Life Partner say that 'Gravity cannot be held responsible for people falling in love'. How much do you agree or disagree with this statement in real life?
I totally agree with the said statement. It's always said that 'Love is blind'. But I would like to rechristen it saying 'Love is blind...but marriage is an eye-opener' (laughs). Nobody ever says 'Rise in love'. It's always 'Fall in love'. It's only after you have been in love, that you gradually realize 'God! I have to be myself all over again!' That's why the promos have it stating even though everybody falls in love, but 'Gravity cannot be held responsible fore people falling in love'! (Laughs)

If it's not gravity, then, what is it?
Even I wonder as to what exactly that is! Whatever it is, I am sure that it's not dependent on the person's age. All that I can say is that everybody should fall in love to realize how wonderful the feeling of love is!

You just said that 'Everybody should fall in love'. So, with whom is Prachi Desai in love with?
It's very sad but true, that I am not seeing anybody right now! I am just 20 years old yaar! It will take me some more time to find the right person. But, I do confess that I have had my share of crushes....

How much of Life Partner's Prachi Jadeja is the real-life Prachi Desai?
Prachi Jadeja is a very contemporary girl having a very modern outlook. She is one girl who will stand up for herself and speak her mind. She is well educated and handles her father's business. And as far as the similarities between me and her goes, I think that 'working aspect' applies to me in real life too, as I too am a working girl. Plus like my character Prachi Jadeja, I too am a Gujarati in real life.

So much for similarities. Now, what is it that separates Prachi Jadeja from Prachi Desai?
Unlike Prachi Jadeja, I will not get into an arranged marriage. While Prachi Jadeja comes from a royal family, I come from a simple middle class family. And while I am in the process of getting my graduation done, Prachi Jadeja is a highly qualified girl from one of the best universities!

Prachi, it's a coincidence of sorts that Genelia's and yours last release (Jaane Tu... and Rock On respectively) were monstrous hits, which only means that people's expectations from Life Partner must be soaring all-time high. Does that make you nervous?
I am feeling very jittery. This time round, the excitement is little more than before. Believe me; I was nervous while shooting for the entire film. As you said, the expectations are bound to soar with Life Partner. While Genelia and I come with a background of super hits, Tusshar also comes with Golmaal Returns while Fardeen has No Entry behind him. In that case, all of us have a humongous hit film behind us. Having said that, I just hope that people go to the theatres with a clear mind and enjoy the film for what it is, rather than hoping for something magical coming out of each one of us. Life Partner is a group effort and not just of any one individual's! I just hope that it does extremely well at the Box-Office.

Life Partner comes from the stable of Rumi Jaffrey, whose last film God Tussi Great Ho was a B.O. disaster. Weren't you apprehensive about signing his Life Partner? And how was it working with Rumi?
I know for a fact that it's the second film that decides any actor's destiny at the B.O. And with me choosing Life Partner to be my second film, I better be sure of my role in this. The fact remains that I got on board with Life Partner while Rock On was still under production! It was pretty early then. But since Life Partner is Abbas-Mustan's first production venture, and also it was my chance to do comedy, as I was doing serious roles all this while, I thought of breaking out by doping this role.

Even though we haven't seen God Tussi..., we were confident of Rumiji, whose earlier ventures as a writer like Chalte Chalte, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi reflects his immense talent, which will be yet again seen in Life Partner.

Since Life Partner happens to be Abbas-Mustan's first stint as producers, how were they?
Frankly speaking, till then, I had only heard people saying that they are the sweetest men. But after I worked with them and spoke to them, I really found out as to why people term them as the sweetest human beings. I would like to call them as the 'Men in white', as they are pretty peaceful. Despite the fact that they are directors themselves, they just did not interfere in the film's proceedings.

There was some news doing the rounds that you were a bit uncomfortable doing some intimate scenes. How much of it is true?
Not really. Ever since this 'news' came in, I too have been wondering as to where did that come from. I would rather say that I felt embarrassed that I made my co-stars a little uncomfortable. Even though there were no intimate scenes in the film, I would say that every newcomer goes through this awkward phase, even at the slightest of an intimate scene. And maybe, it is this 'awkwardness' that the media has blown out of proportion!

Life Partner saw you working with Tusshar, Fardeen, Genelia and Govinda. What was your equation with them?
Since the film was made in a light hearted mode, the overall atmosphere was fun. To simply watch Govindaji perform his character was so much fun. Fardeen comes across and is royal and a pure gentleman, while Tusshar is an extremely hard working guy. Govindaji is hilarious while Genelia is 'Aditi', as that's how I can describe her, as Jaane Tu's memories are still fresh in my mind about Genie (Genelia). All in all, working with the whole gang was absolute fun.

Now that you are full-fledged into films, have you bid the final goodbye to TV?
Right now, I am not looking at going back to TV.

What if someone offers you a path-breaking role like that of Rani in Black or say Kareena in Jab We Met, will you still turn it down?
That would be a tough decision to make. But one thing is certain that, I will say yes or no to the TV offer depending upon what I am doing at that time. If I am free from all my film commitments and the role turns out to be as interesting as you said, then, you never know...

Now that you have worked on both the mediums (TV and films), what do you find as the major difference between the two?
Undoubtedly, it's the working pattern. While a film is planned, shoot, edit et al months in advance, all that it takes is a single Friday to decide if the film will sustain at the B.O. or not. Not just that, the Friday also happens to be a day that decides the fate of the actor from that movie till his/ her next film.
Whereas TV is totally different, whereby we shoot everyday, all the while fighting for the telecast and the TRPs. We do get a chance to improvise on our skill sets and we can also gauge if the serial is catering to the audiences' taste or not.

Every time, there's a film that has 2 heroines, there are always talks about the two heroines not getting along. But there was hardly any news about any friction between you and Genelia?
Touch wood! I am so glad that there are just two weeks for the release; such a story about any 'friction' hasn't come out. If ever any such story comes out, I will be so annoyed, because, I am sure that it will be only for publicity.

I am sure that any stories of friction between me and Genelia will be only for publicity
How does it feel when someone compares you with the two deadly Khans, viz. SRK and Aamir? Because, like SRK, you have proved that TV actors can be successful in Bollywood as well, while you have become as choosy as Aamir while signing films?
(Takes a long pause). I am at a staggering loss of words. I feel that it won't be justified to kind of put me in that position right now. It's also heartening to see Rajeev Khandelwal, who, besides SRK, is successful in making a mark in Bollywood. At the same time, I am happy that I am one of the initial actresses to have made it in Bollywood. And as far as me being compared to the great Aamir, I don't think it's fair at all, as I am not planning to do it that way. As a matter of fact, Life Partner was supposed to get released much earlier!

I am at a staggering loss of words
Lastly, how do you deal with criticism?
One really has to cut off at a certain point as it really makes you lose your head, if you allow all this to enter your system. Sometimes, one has to take things with a pinch of salt. Else, that person will go really mad!