Her brilliantly hued, orange make-up van looms large in one corner of the parking lot at Mehboob Studio, Mumbai, near a flight of white steps. She drives in on a sweltering Friday afternoon, in a white Merc and vanishes into its air-con comfort. Priyanka Chopra, clad in a cotton Tee and jeans, flops down on the chair in front of the bulbs-encrusted mirror. She readies for the shoot, under the gentle hand of make-up maestro, Mickey Contractor and having watched him in action umpteen times before, I talk the talk gingerly with the diva in the making. The conversation continues at its own pace in between style changes, shots and snacks over the next few hours...before we finally decide to call it a night.

Circa 2006 had seen the former Miss World star in two of the biggest hits of the year - Don and Krrish. And, with high-end brands under her belt (Tag Heuer, to name one) La Chopra is on a roll. She has just returned after attending the charity dinner that marked the beginning of the F-1 Grand Prix at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Malaysia! Her star is apparently on the ascendant, so it is rather surprising that the day has seen the release of one of the first films she had signed - Big Brother. "I have never planned my career moves," she states. "I live for the moment; I do not want to ruin today by only planning for tomorrow. As for Big Brother, I had given my first-ever shot for the movies for this film. In the last six months we re-shot it almost completely."

Turning her attention to the Alberta Ferretti outfits that fashion editor, Nisha Jhangiani has brought for the occasion, the actress talks about her personal sense of style, which is simply being "comfortable and innovative". Slipping effortlessly into haute couture, she comments, "I do believe in brands but I do not let my life revolve around them. I pick up various things for my closet. I might buy a Valentino or something from Linking Road.... I often mix and match stuff."

Commenting on the makeover of the heroine in Hindi movies, Chopra firmly believes that 'packaging' does not detract from one's talent. "People do look beyond a beautiful face and body to one's histrionic abilities," she states. "The grooming and styling all add up to a good performance."

The girl who was probably born to be beautiful (and incidentally won a film glossy's Best Debut Award for Andaaz) was catapulted on the red carpet to fame again purely by chance. "I owe it all to my family. My brother, Siddharth and my mother sent in my entry for the Miss India pageant…." The crowning has remained ensconced in her memory for more reasons than one. As Sameer Parekh, our lensman for the day - who had photographed the 2000 Miss India winners then - shows her the defining moment on his laptop - she bursts into an impromptu jig and laughs out aloud. "Just look at Shah Rukh standing between the three of us," she points to the man and her co-winners (Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza). "I was dying to let out a yell of excitement, having just won and met him. He is a superstar and I had seen all his films. It is funny but Shah Rukh was at our crowning, I did my first ad with him, my first stage show with him…and finally, got to act with him in Don. It was a tough role to play and I was rather focussed on it."

Interestingly, Chopra had never thought of the movies as an option. For someone who had once dreamt of becoming an engineer, she has taken a long detour in her career capers. "Call it destiny or what you will, there is someone up there who is looking out for me," she says. Checking the images that upload themselves on Sameer's laptop, it is time for an innovation - and under our creative director, Falguni Kapadia's, Nisha's and Mickey's expert guidance, she dashes into the changing room for an alteration: the Ferretti dress is turned back to front…! The glimmering outfit now enhances her body language before the lens…to Falguni's complete satisfaction.

Continuing the conversation a few minutes later - after preening before the lens and showing her hot bod to perfection in the dazzling mini - Chopra points out, "Acting is not a mechanised 9-5 job. Each year has been a series of trials and errors. Things continue to surprise me every day and I am still learning. I am enjoying my work and have rarely taken a holiday from my schedules." No wonder then that she has 20-plus films to her credit in the short span she has spent here.

Each day is a learning experience for La Chopra who after some hiccups made a mark with films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Bluff Master, Krrish and Don. “Bits of me go into every role that I play,” she admits. “Yet, I have always tried to build my characters so that ultimately not one of my screen personas is like me.”
The actress dared to be bold and completely different in Aitraaz in just her second year in the movies and bagged a Best Villain Award for her portrayal of the manipulative Sonia Roy. “I did it once to prove a point. I wouldn’t know if I would do an Aitraaz again. It is difficult to play a character that goes against everything I believe in. But, honestly, I would never say never again,” she states.

For now, it is work, work…and more work for the star, who is known to be always politically correct, saying the right thing at the right moment. The girl is driven by schedules that almost have her rushing from one studio to another. “By God’s grace, I have had many chances to prove myself,” she says. “The fact that they will stop one day keeps me on my toes. I do not make excuses for mediocrity. Failure drives me. Whenever I feel that I have done something mediocre, I pull myself up.”
Watching her slim-as-a-reed frame twist and turn in every shot, we remark at her perfect 10 proportions and question why she would like to nibble only on grilled chicken or fish. “I have just started a new diet,” she reveals. “I am not the world’s fittest person and I would like to eat healthy to stay in shape.” She had reportedly trained for Don and is working on Drona, opposite Abhishek Bachchan as his bodyguard. She has got initiated into the intricacies of gatka – a Sikh martial art form with a special trainer from Ludhiana for the same.

The girl who still remains close to both her parents (her father’s illness has till date been the most traumatic time in her life) maintains that success and stardom have not changed her basic nature. “My mother taught me the importance of taking my own decisions and standing by them. I have come here to work. I have not come here to make friends…I share a great working relationship with all my colleagues,” she adds.
There are rumours of her close friendship with Harman Baweja (filmwallah, Harry Baweja’s son) with whom she is doing Love Story 2050. I can almost predict her reply even before she answers, “Rumours are a part and parcel of the industry. I am sensitive and do get hurt by gossip, stray remarks or barbs of criticism but at 24 I have learnt to take it all in my stride.”

For now, her career – films, stage shows and brand endorsements – takes up most of her time “Stage shows give me the greatest high,” she admits. “The thrill of having live audiences interacting with you, screaming for more is something else.” And, although she would like to keep this part of her life low-key, Chopra takes time off to do social service particularly for the cause of the girl child. “I do a lot in this area but on a more private level. I am involved with NGOs but I would not like to talk about my efforts,” she says.
And what does Circa 2007 hold out for the silver screen star – with projects like Drona, Qurbani and Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam on her platter. “I would not mind going de-glam for a role. But I have not yet reached the point where I can carry a film on my shoulders. I am not sure if I am ready to do an offbeat role yet but if I meet someone who is confident about my ability, I will take it on. I have started to be extremely picky.”