Mumbai: Prachi Desai is just one film old, but she's already courting controversy by declining mentor Ekta Kapoor's film and opting out of Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt's much talked-about Jashan.
The young actress, however, insists that she hasn't upset anyone.
"It's true I'm out of Jashan. I really wanted to work with the Bhatts who have done such wonderful work with Kangana (Ranaut) 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," Prachi said.
Prachi got noticed for her role as Farhan Akhtar's dutiful and beautiful wife in Rock On.
Reportedly, Abbas-Mustan, the duo working with Prachi on her second film "Life Partner" with Tusshar Kapoor, have the actress contractually bound to ensure theirs is her second release. Prachi, however, did not comment on the matter.
As for the supposed differences with Ekta, Prachi said: "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 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 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 'Kasamh 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 'Kasamh Se' I played a wife and a daughter-in-law. So I guess those years of experience came in handy when I finally did my first film," she explained.
After Rajeev Khandelwal in "Aamir", Prachi is the second Balaji breakaway actor to make it big in films.
"What 'Kasamh Se' did for me in two-and-a-half-years, Rock On has done in two-and-a-half hours. People used to say they wanted a daughter-in-law like Bani. Now they're saying they want a wife like Sakshi in Rock On. And to think Farhan and Ritesh Sidwani's company used to get hate mail when they signed me on for their film! People were so upset because they felt a film career was taking me away from television," she said.
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 reality show Jhalak Dikhla Jaa for creating a bridge between TV and cinema.
"The reality show allowed me to be more myself. After being the weepy daughter-in-law and playing a woman between 30 and 40 for so long, I had fun dancing. I think 'Jhalak...' got me Rock On."
Prachi says she has made her parents proud.
"When as a 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."
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