I want to be a prolific actor     - Uday Chopra

Uday Chopra who has acted in Pyaar Impossible besides producing the film tells Jyothi Venkatesh that he feels he suits the character of the geek in the film because he is one in real life too.

Q: Did you write the script of Pyaar Impossible just to prove yourself as an actor?
A: Frankly speaking, it was not my idea at all to write the subject of Pyaar Impossible right to project myself as an actor. However, I should confess that I was restless because I was not getting the kind of right offers which I wanted to do as an actor and hence I had stopped acting altogether three years ago.

Q:What were you doing all these years since then?
A: I was concentrating on the Internet because I was in charge of the Internet in Yashraj Films because times were changing and we thought that it was the right time to get into the digital domain.

Q:How did the idea to write the script for Pyaar Impossible then emanate?
A: One day Adi asked me what my plans were and suggested that I should take up writing if I had any good idea. I had a good idea for a movie, which Adi did not make earlier. I asked Jugal Hansraj to help me with the writing. Though he was busy with Roadside Romeo at that time but he agreed to help me.

Q:Why did you ask Jugal to direct the film instead of directing it yourself?
A: Direction is an all compassing job, which requires you 24/12. I was sure that I would not have been able to devote the time to production as well as direction, especially since I was also playing the lead character of the film.

Q: What was Adi’s first reaction to your script?
A: The truth is that though Adi said that I was at liberty to have full control over the project if I chose to write and make a film, he did not like the script that I had written when I showed it to him first. I did not get discouraged by that and kept on writing. The final draft which was liked by Adi. Dad also was surprised when I showed him the final draft.

Q: Why did you cast yourself in the film?
A: I swear when the final draft was ready, I felt that the character of Abhay suited me to the T. Frankly if the character had suited some the actor, I would have certainly opted out of the project.

Q: To what extent could you relate to your character in the film?
A: I confess that I am a little bit of a geek in life and hence I felt that I was living my life when I was making the film. To tell you the truth, I was in love when I was in college but the girl did not even give me a second look. To be Abhay Sharma in the film, I wanted to lose weight, because a geek cannot be muscular and hence I had to take on this unassuming look to suit the character, which I set out to play in Pyaar Impossible.

 Q: How was the experience of facing the camera after a break of three years?
A: Earlier I used to get affected a lot by what people used to say about me. The break of three years that I took helped me and I did not feel the need to go to a shrink.

Q: Why did you zero in on Priyanka Chopra for Pyaar Impossible?
A: Priyanka was the first choice because she is a fantastic actress. In terms of the chemistry and vibes that I needed for the character, I felt that she fitted the bill and hence we cast her in the role. I am happy with her both as a producer as well as a co-actor. As a producer I am happy because she even took the ownership of the film and functioned as a costume designer one day when we could not get the right costumes for actors in a particular scene and set out to mix and match the clothes As an actor, she is very good in her command of the language and helped me even re-write. She was willing to give her inputs which added to her character in the film.

Q: Why do you think big time success has been eluding you as an actor?
A: I want to be a prolific actor but the fact is that I did not get the proper roles. Charas and Supari were the only two outside films in which I had acted. To be a successful actor, you need to act in films made by outside banners too. The films in which I have acted till date have been Mohabbatein, Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi, Neil & Niki, Mujhse Dosti Karoge, Dhoom 1 and Dhoom 2, all produced by our own banner.

Q: Do you think you were short changed as an actor, since you did not get offers?
A: It was not the lack of offers but the dearth of the right offers that made me take up work only with the home production. I got a lot of offers after Dhoom 1 and Doom 2 but I turned down each and every offer because all the roles were similar to the role of Ali that I had played in Dhoom 1 and Dhoom 2 and I did not want to get slotted in the same kind of role as an actor and get stereotyped.

Q: Does it mean that you will not play the role of Ali in Dhoom 3?
A: It would be foolish on my part if I were to say no to the role of Ali in Dhoom 3. I do not at all mind playing the character of Ali once again in Dhoom 3 as and when it is launched. We have not yet decided who will direct Dhoom 3 or for that matter what the star cast of the film is going to be.