To me, my health is more important than anybody's opinion: Parineeti Chopra

Director Akshay Roy's 'Meri Pyaari Bindu', starring Parineeti Chopra and Ayushmann Khurrana is all set to hit the theatres tomorrow. With it's quirky trailers and soothing music, the film has already created a great hype amongst the audiences. In a quick chat, film's leading lady, Parineeti opened up about her chemistry with co-actor Ayushmann, singing, Golmaal Again and other things.

How did your journey as Bindu start?

I was offered this film by another director Soumik Sen three years ago and it didn’t work out for some reason. Later, Maneesh (Sharma) called me in 2015 and told me that he wants to make this film. He wanted me to do it and I read the script soon after. I really loved it and it was a totally new take on the same film I heard three years ago. I agreed to do the film immediately.

Was it a challenge for you to prepare for the old classics while shooting the film?

I didn’t have to prepare for those songs because I have been singing these songs since forever. I have done a lot of stage shows on Lata Ji’s songs but I am not even 5% of what she is. I am nothing in front of her but any singer who wants to sing on stage shows will always start from her songs. I sang Do Naina Ek Kahaani, Piya Tose Naina Lage and many more. And this was also the reason that I signed the film.

How was it working with Ayushmann Khurrana?

He and I have been doing stage shows since ages. We have also done a lot of dance shows. When we used to host gigs together, we always told each other about doing films together since we both love music. We understand music and so when we both came on board with this film, we bonded really well. We became close friends. He always makes me feel good about myself. It was like a jam session on the sets. He is one of the few boys whom I call at 3AM.

Tell us more about your role in Meri Pyaari Bindu?

It is a story of these two neighbours who meet when they are five years old and are together till they are thirty five. What happens for thirty years in their lives is what the film is all about. There’s a lot of friendship, college life, love relationship, separation etc.

Apart from this, you have Golmaal Again. So how does it feel to be the face of Golmaal franchise now as a leading lady?

I am totally loving it. I love those boys. They all welcomed me quite nicely. Although they have worked together in three Golmaal’s but it took me a very little time to get comfortable with them. I am a friendly person but these boys are amazing people. I miss shooting with them at the moment. It has been a great experience.

Just like any artist, you have faced few highs and lows in your career. Was it humiliating for you as an actor when your film didn’t work?

No, nothing like that. When you sign a film, you don’t know whether it will be a hit or a flop. You hope it will be a hit but if it’s a flop, I don’t think it can surprise you. It can hurt or disappoint you. It is always a 50-50 probability. When a film doesn’t work, you can really try and understand why the film didn’t work. It can’t humiliate me as a person but I rather choose to learn from what the audience liked about me and what they did not and then work on it. I don’t regret any film I did so far.

In between, you took a break and worked hard on yourself and everyone got to see an amazing transformation. So tell us, how is your body transformation treating you?

I feel really good about myself. I have struggled for twelve years even before I was actor. People are very limited in their thinking that I have lost weight as I am an actor but I am a human being first. I have been overweight since 2006. Few set of people might like me plum but I look much better on screen now. My health is more important than anybody’s opinion. When I was overweight, I never had stamina to work more; after four hours, I used to get tired. There was no motivation to go to the sets daily.

In Meri Pyaari Bindu, you have done a lot of singing. Do you believe that Bindu established you as a singer too?

I never thought I would ever sing professionally but now that I have sung and the song has become a huge hit, now I am happy to sing more and I will. Whether in a film or my own album, I don’t know that. My family is very happy about it. Whatever people do in this film business, they look for acceptance and my song gave that to me. And most importantly, I am no competition to others and even if its there, it is a healthy one.