Priyanka Chopra: Awards are encouragement but can't dictate films we make

Her debut home production, Marathi movie 'Ventilator', has won three National awards and Priyanka Chopra says such honors are encouraging but they don't dictate the films she will be doing in future.

'I did not anticipate any award for any of the films I have made. I have never made films for awards or acted in films for awards. Eventually, I have always treated awards as a sign of encouragement but they can't dictate the films you make,' Priyanka told PTI over the phone from the US.

'Ventilator' is a Marathi language comedy-drama directed by Rajesh Mapuskar and produced by Priyanka under her company Purple Pebble Pictures.

The film won three awards at the 64th National Film Awards - Best Director, Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing.

Priyanka, 34, is more than happy about winning the prestigious award as she is the only actress-producer in Bollywood to have won a National award for her first film.

'I always like coming first. I am very excited about it (National award) as it's my first Marathi film and as a production company we are barely a year old. 'Ventilator' is director Rajesh Mapuskar's first Marathi film I am very happy for him.

'When Rajesh first came to me he was saying he was finding it difficult to get a producer for this film as it has 115 actors in it and it's a difficult film to make,' she says.The film tells the story of a joint family whose eldest and the most respected person goes into a coma few days before the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

The 'Bajirao Mastani' actress says when the director first narrated her the story of 'Ventilator' she could relate to the plot as her late father Ashok Chopra was going through a similar situation in real life.

'When Rajesh narrated me the story I wanted to make it for my father as he was on Ventilator, the entire scene was pretty much like the film. We laughed on that a bit. I am happy and proud the film has won three awards and there is a sense of achievement for me, my company, my mother who is a backbone of the company as she handles business and I handle the creative (part).'

According to Priyanka, 'Ventilator' was a difficult film to make and the credit goes to the entire team for putting it (film) together. The 'Quantico' actress says it was her mother, Madhu Chopra, who gave her the news of 'Ventilator' winning the National award.

'My mother is here visiting me right now (in the US) as I am finishing 'Quantico 2' and I'll be coming back to India in ten days. She woke me up at five clocks saying 'Ventilator' has won three awards and I was supremely excited.

'I remember when I won my first National award for 'Fashion', I was in New York I got the call in the same way so it was like deja vu to be woken up with news of winning a national award.'

She further says, winning three National awards definitely calls for a celebration and once she is back to India she will throw a party for the cast and crew of 'Ventilator'. Priyanka reveals there is an interest in remaking 'Ventilator' in other languages but the makers are yet to take a final call on it.

'We have been discussing remaking 'Ventilator' in few other languages. But there is no concrete plan as such. Right now we are gearing up for 'Ventilator' to be screened at New York Film Festival and I am very excited about it,' she says. On the acting front, Priyanka is gearing up for her debut Hollywood film 'Baywatch'.