Suneel Darshan recalls his first meeting wth birthday girl Priyanka Chopra: 'Within fifteen minutes, I knew I had found another Rekha'
Priyanka Chopra
! And today, as the actress celebrates her birthday, we sat down with one of her producers,
Suneel Darshan
, who sparked in her during the initial days.
During his conversation with ETimes, Suneet Darshan revealed that within 15 minutes of meeting Priyanka, he could see another Rekha in her.
Here are the excerpts from our conversation:
Our interaction began with Suneel sending birthday greetings to Priyanka. He said, 'Many wishes to Priyanka Chopra for a very happy birthday today! Looking back, I had signed her for 'Andaaz' in 2002 on this date; such a coincidence!'
Further, in the conversation, when we asked Suneel if he sensed that PeeCee would one day turn into this global phenomenon, he replied, 'Global was never the agenda then. However, she surely thought she would be a big star in the Hindi movie industry someday. If it were not so, why would I cast her in the central role in 'Barsaat' (2005), which millions of viewers rate as amongst her best movies?'
Suneel Darshan's first meeting with Priyanka: Within fifteen minutes, I knew I had found another Rekha
Reflecting on their first meeting, Suneel shared such a sweet anecdote as he said, 'She walked into my office; within fifteen minutes of observing her, I knew that I had found another Rekha!'
He continued, 'At the shooting, while most unit members believed it was
Lara Dutta
who'd score with the author-backed role, I saw a definite underdog in Priyanka, who'd hold her forte as she was brimming with determination and zeal.'
Priyanka Chopra vs Lara Dutta - True rivalry or a marketing strategy?
During 'Andaaz' reportedly Priyanka Chopra and Lara Dutta reportedly did see eye to eye. Weighing on the subject, Suneel said, 'The competition was healthy between the two, but the insatiable desire to reach the zenith was definitely readable in Priyanka's restlessness.'
'Today, she's determined to strike back and with some topmost projects that she's announced, bet she's out to play a new innings, no holds barred! Wishing her all the success,' she concluded.
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