PRIYANKA AWAITING ENTRY INTO RECORD BOOKS

No woman has ever played 12 different characters in a film

Eighty years ago legendary British actor Lupino Lane created a (yet unbroken) record for a male actor playing 24 roles in "Only Me" (1929). And now Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra is all excited about the opportunity of her entering the record books for doing 12 roles in approaching "What's Your Raashee".

"I was aware about Sanjeev Kumar playing nine roles in 'Naya Din Nayi Raat' and Kamal Haasan being seen 10 times over in 'Dashavatharam'. Though, even I got to know about Lupino Lane's accomplishment very recently. Hats off to him to have done that eight decades back and that too in a silent film," Priyanka told IANS.

In Ashutosh Gowariker's "What's Your Raashee", she plays 12 different roles and the film has already been referred to the Guinness World Records.

While there have been quite a few double role performances by leading ladies in the past, there aren't many movies where a Bollywood actress has played even a triple role, let aside coming close to enacting a dozen-odd characters in a single outing.

"Yes, I have been told about this. I guess not just in India but even in world cinema no woman has ever played 12 different characters in the film. In fact, the producers of 'What's Your Raashee' have got in touch with the Guinness World Records and we are in anticipation of their response," said Priyanka.

If one goes down the memory lane, one can comfortably say that with "What's Your Raashee?", Priyanka may well boast of doing the biggest ever film written for a woman protagonist in the history of Indian cinema.

"Please don't make it all sound so big and heavy. Let's just look at it as an entertaining movie and leave it there. Words like 'greatest' and 'biggest' don't hold much relevance if one doesn't justify each of the characters. You may win when it comes to count but then you must also be able to put some weight in your performance," she said.

So was she thrilled when Gowariker approached her for the role?

"Not at all. In fact I was quite nervous about how I would manage to pull it off. A role may look fantastic on paper and you too may feel confident of pulling it off. Still, you have to be extra careful to make sure that audiences too like what you bring to the table," said Priyanka, who has given three consecutive hits - "Dostana", "Fashion" and "Kaminey".

This was the reason why she stayed away from all the limelight while shooting for 'What's Your Raashee?' and her look for each of the characters too was kept under wraps.

"You end up picking on all the flattery around you but none of that helps in what comes across on screen", she said. "'What's Your Raashee?' has such a fantastic script written with each of the 12 roles boasting of such well-etched characterisation.

"I had to go all out in following Ashutosh's vision. With the coming together of a great production house, an intelligent director, a fantastic co-star and some melodious music, it all seems to have summed up well. Now that the mathematics part has gone well, it is time to see how audiences react to our effort."

"What's Your Raashee?" is set to release on Sept 25.

BOLLYWOOD SET TO SHINE AT TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL

Event’s co-director gives the details…

Bollywood is set to take the public interest at the Toronto International Film Festival starting on September 10. For the first time, the world's premier film event will premiere two Bollywood films - "What's Your Raashee?" and "Dil Bole Hadippa".

"You know, last year our audiences launched 'Slumdog Millionaire' that went on to win everything (at the Oscars). And this year, we are delighted to have two Bollywood movies under big banners making their world premiere," Cameron Bailey, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) co-director, told IANS in an exclusive interview.

He said: "It is the first time that two Bollywood films are making their world premiere here. We had major Bollywood films in the past, but not for world premiere. We had their special presentation and galas with the stars. Those films had opened just before the Toronto festival and we had their presentation."

Bailey, who for myself selected the two films during his visit to Mumbai in July, said: "These films were in the final stages when I was in Mumbai. These are highly predictable films and we will be thrilled to see their stars like Rani Mukerji, Priyanka Chopra and Hurman Baweja in town."

An keen fan of Rani, Bailey said: "Rani is terrific. She can go the whole range - from serious dramatic roles to light comedy. Here (in 'Dil Bole Hadippa') she is in the role of a woman who loves cricket but cannot get on the team because she is a woman. It has that Shakespearean conceit when she dresses as a man to get on the team."

Rating Priyanka one of the most versatile actors today, he said: "Priyanka is incredible. In this film ('What's Your Raashee?'), she does 12 roles transforming herself into 12 totally different women. Now that is unbelievable."

He said the film festival will also be privileged to host Ashutosh Gowariker whom he described as one of the best directors in India.

"We had Ashutosh here previously as director of 'Lagaan'. He is a great maker of period films with such an attention to detail.

"But what is different about him this time - and people would love to see it - is that he has done a contemporary film ('What's Your Raashee?'), and it is a love story. Wow, he has not done that before. I am sure he will prove himself to be a master again."

Bailey, who gave a big break to Bollywood at the festival three years ago by organising a gala presentation for the film "Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna" in the presence of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Karan Johar, said he is determined to raise Bollywood's profile here for two reasons.

"One, we have an avid audience which comes (only) to see Bollywood films and their stars in town. Two, we want to introduce Bollywood to our audiences that do not know this kind of cinema."

In fact, he didn't rule the future possibility of live musical performances by Bollywood stars at the festival.

"We would love to showcase the musical part of Bollywood, and it is something we may consider down the line," he said.

"Many may not see it that way, but Bollywood is already a mainstream global player. Stars from Bollywood are globally recognised. People who make and finance Bollyood films are global players. See what Reliance is doing in Hollywood as a major player," he added.

The 34th film festival, which runs from September 10 to 19, will feature more than 300 films, including 100 brand-new, from 64 countries.

"I'M KILLING MYSELF!" PRIYANKA

There are czarinas and actresses. And then, there is Priyanka Chopra, a great blend of both. PC, who has been busy with compliments for her act in Vishal Bharadwaj’s Kaminey, is totally besieged with bouquets. However, somewhere deep down, she is also a little worried. The good news is that she is on a hat-trick.

For Madhur Bhandarkar’s Fashion she walked away with every award in the book, for Karan Johar’s Dostana she got compliments in large numbers, and now for Kaminey — the praise is still pouring in. “I’m over-awed, I can’t tell you how great it feels,’’ says the natural-born actress.

She says she worked really hard for the part of the feisty, open middle-class Maharashtrian girl, Sweety in Kaminey. “While the hard work paid dividends it also took from me a lot of blood, sweat, tears and more,’’ she sighs.

She is glad that she walked the path less travelled in her movies — Fashion was women-centric; Dostana was a light-hearted typical take on homosexuality; Kaminey got critical praise for being lusciously different.

“In other words, the cinema I have done in recent times has been liberating, it has broken barriers.’’

And, while she is killing herself over reactions to her next film What’s Your Rashee? — Where she essays 12 diversely unique parts, she is seriously worried about the impact of it all on her health.

“I have said this earlier,’’ says the actress, “it’s the same OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) at work. I’ve been warned by my parents (both doctors) and well-wishers not to let work take its toll on me. And, though I wish to pay heed to their advice, I can’t stop myself from getting excessively involved with the work I take on. Honestly, I drive myself to a point of no return when it comes to any part that I undertake in a film. I’m just so involved that it starts to hurt. And I don’t realise I’m bleeding till such time as I’m on a set because I don’t stop to look.’’

The actress has forcibly been ordered a hiatus from the studios by her parents. And, when she returns, she hopes to once again start promoting her WYR? and Pyaar Impossible with gusto.

With some girls — there is absolutely no such thing as a ‘take-it-easy-policy.’ Hai na, PC?

RANI AND HARMAN IN TORONTO

Forgotten actors Rani Mukherjee and Harman Baweja have a reason to rejoice; their forthcoming films will be screened at the prominent Toronto festival.

Dil Bole Hadippa and What’s your Rashee will be screened at the festival along with other overseas films. Both Rani and Harman are banking on these films for their fate in Bollywood will be sealed after their release. In view of Rani has been out of the scene since a while now and Harman’s bad luck is making the most of him, the added notice the film’s get is only better.

What’s your Rashee stars Harman Baweja and his more victorious ex-girlfriend Priyanka Chopra. While Piggy Chops has nothing to worry about, Harman’s last two films Love Story 2050 and Victory sank without a trace. The same could go for Rani, Laaga Chunari mein Daag and Thoda Pyar Thoda Magic were awful at boxoffice duds and she’s going all the way for Dil Bole Hadippa. Right from havans and pooja’s, she’s doing the very best to ward off the evil from her filmi career.

Rani plays a woman impersonating a man in the Shahid starrer Dil Bole Hadippa and the film has been touted as a direct lift off Amanda Bynes’s She’s the Man. Whereas What’s your Rashee, is Ashutosh Gowarikar’s effort in making something less patriotic and periodic.

Whether or not the two films will make news at the festival, we don’t know but let’s just hope the Raashee of both these films fare better than the actor’s career’s themselves!