Priyanka Chopra loves talking.

Once she starts, there's no stopping her. She talks with a speed that defies dictation. And she loves talking about two things: movies and her favourite movie star, Shah Rukh Khan. Not many know the former Miss World was offered an item number in Shah Rukh's production Asoka.

She turned it down because she wanted a meaty role opposite King Khan. For a newcomer, Chopra definitely knows what she wants. Right now, all she wants is her debut film Andaz to hit the screen.

She has been in the industry for two years and there is no sign of her first release. She assures Rohini Iyer that Andaz will alter that equation.

Tell me about Andaz.

I am terribly excited about Andaz because along with my debut, it also marks Lara Dutta's debut. We are both paired opposite Akshay Kumar. I think it is a great combination. My character in Andaz is very close to my heart.

Why?

Because it has a lot of me in it. It has shades of Priyanka Chopra the person. I play this lively girl called Jiya. Just like her name, she is full of beans and loves life. She comes across as very modern, but in her heart, she is a traditional Indian girl.
 
What about Anil Sharma's Hero -The Spy? Wasn't that supposed to be your first release?

It was one of the first few films I signed. By the looks of it, Andaz should be ready earlier. Hero has shaped up to be a very interesting film. It is Anil Sharma's next after Gadar with Sunny (Deol), so there is a lot of curiosity.

I loved Gadar. To do this film was something of a challenge. I play a Pakistani girl who has been raised abroad. How she meets Sunny and what happens after that forms the crux of the film.

You signed your first film two years ago. Why has your debut been delayed?

When I started signing films, I was technically still bound to the Miss World organisation. I had a contract with them whereby I could not start shooting. I started working only a year ago when my contract expired. I got permission to shoot and things started rolling. Though it looks like a delayed debut, to tell you the truth I'm barely a year old in the industry. 

For a newcomer, you have been fairly controversial. A lot has been written about you walking out of films.

There is a reason why I walked out of those films. It's not as if I do it all the time. I'm a professional. So far I have opted out of three projects. Maan Singh Deep's film with Govinda was a very unpleasant experience. Plus he [Deep] badmouthed me and my family in print; it is something that hurt me a lot. I had a genuine reason for opting out of the film. The role he narrated to me and what it was turning out to be were two different things. He kept changing the script. I didn't want to be part of such a setup.

Why did you walk out of Chakravarthy's Aatma? It was supposed to be a thriller based on the Hollywood hit Diabolique. 

For nearly the same reasons. Not just Chakravarthy's film, I walked out of Shakeel Noorani's new film too because the script changed. But there is no bad blood between us.

You seem to know what you want.

I am very clear about the kind of work I want to do. I don't just want to sign films for the sake of signing them.  I'm looking for strong, well-defined roles.

From Miss World to tinsel world, what made you take the plunge?

Acting was never a conscious career option. I had never given it a thought till I started receiving film offers. I have always loved watching movies. Films have always fascinated me. It was like a whole new world for me to explore. So when the offers started pouring in, I said why not?

Is there any actor you are absolutely dying to work with?

I'm working with the best actors in the country. Be it Ajay Devgan in Asar or Sunny Deol in Hero or Akshay Kumar in Andaz, I'm working with the topmost.

But yes, I would love to work with Shah Rukh Khan. I have been a huge Shah Rukh fan since my school days. I have watched all his films.