Prachi Desai – The New Controversy Queen

By By: Subhash K. Jha, <a href="http://bollywoodhungama.com/" target="_blank">Bollywood Hungama</a>

One hit young and Prachi Desai is already in a controversy. First she's said to have miffed her mentor Ekta Kapoor by refusing to do her film. Now it's the Bhatts whom Prachi politely turned down, opting out of their much talked-about Jashn. Apparently, Abbas-Mustan who are working with Prachi on her second film Life Partner (with Tusshar Kapoor) have the actress contractually bound to ensure theirs is her second release.

Disarming in her honesty, Prachi doesn't beat around the bush regarding the embarrassing cul de sac. "It's true I'm out of Jashan. I really wanted to work with the Bhatts who have done such wonderful work with Kangana and other girls. I said yes thinking the dates that were with Abbas-Mustan could be adjusted. Unfortunately, it didn't work out. Fortunately the Bhatts aren't upset with me. We'll work together again very soon."

As for the supposed differences with her godmother Ekta Kapoor, Prachi is cool, "Ekta, her mom Shobha Aunty and I are too close for people to try and spoil our relationship. We don't only share an actress-producer bonding. I'm like a daughter in their family. And Shobha Aunty is as concerned about my film career. She advised me to wait until the release of Rock On before signing any new films. I'll always be relying on Ekta and Shobha Aunty to guide me through my film career."

Prachi doesn't flinch from admitting she declined a film offer from Balaji. "They had spoken to me about a film. But we hadn't signed a contract or anything. Like I said, Shobha Aunty and Ekta have told me to do what is best for my career. When I left their serial Kkasam Se, it was a heart-wrenching decision for me. I had become a part of the Balaji family and I was moving into an area where I had no experience at all. Luckily, Ekta encouraged me to do Rock On, although the role was that of a wife and mother-to-be and I had to play a woman older than I am. But then in Kkasam Se, I played a wife and a bahu. So I guess those years of experience came in handy when I finally did my first film."

After Rajeev Khandelwal in Aamir, Prachi is the second Balaji breakaway actor to make it big in films. "What Kkasam Se did for me in 2 ' years, Rock On has done in 2 ' hours. People used to say they wanted a bahu like Bani. Now they're saying they want a wife life Sakshi in Rock On. Farhan and Ritesh Sidwani's company used to get hatemail when they signed me on for their film. People were so upset because they felt a film career was taking me away from television."

Prachi is now done with television. "Going into films was a big risk. I was playing a character I knew little about. I was moving from one medium to another and also to an audience from a different age group. But I had age on my side. Even if I had failed there was enough time to make corrections. I'm so glad Rock On worked."

She credits the reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa with creating a bridge between TV and cinema. "The reality show allowed me to be more myself. After being the weepy Bahu and playing a woman between 30 and 40 for so long I had fun dancing. I think Jhalak... got me Rock On." Today, Prachi has made her parents proud. "When as child I'd say I wanted to be an actress, they didn't take me seriously. At last the people around me are taking me seriously."

Advertisement

Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
X