Priyanka claims she's not chasing the top spot

Priyanka Chopra was marching towards the top with back-to-back hits "Dostana" and "Fashion" in 2008. Last year her "Kaminey" succeeded and if "What's Your Raashee?" had worked, she would have certainly come closer to being number one. But the actress refuses to get drawn into the numbers game.

"When a couple of my films would succeed at the box office, then people would start commenting 'Oh yes, you are at the number one spot'. But one flop later they may end up stating 'arrey, yeh spot toh thoda hil gaya'," Priyanka told IANS.

"In fact, sometimes you experience something even worse because the same people may even end up stating that she is gone and there is no future for her...However, one hit later, every statement would be retracted. No one can be really blamed because this entire numbers business is so fickle," said the actress who has seen quite a few ups and downs in her career.

Was this why she didn't worry much while signing a relatively smaller film like "Pyaar Impossible"? Though she claims it was the film's script that made her sign, she admits that big banners like Yash Raj Films have their relevance.

"Yes, one can't deny the relevance of big banners. However, a fact that also cannot be denied is that sometimes even big films don't work. I have first-hand experience in that because there have been some really big films that I wasn't convinced about and hence had to decline them," Priyanka said.

Unwilling to divulge the names of these films, she does reveal though that most of these films didn't work at the box office.

"This is what further convinced me that I had taken the right decisions," she said.

"On the other hand I have also done small films out of sheer gut instinct and they went on to be very good successes. So, you know, one can't really be sure about this industry which is anyway so unpredictable," the former beauty queen added.

"Pyaar Impossible" also starred Uday Chopra. Directed by Jugal Hansraj, the romantic comedy shows how fate brings Uday, a complete geek, and Priyanka, a beauty, together and love blooms amidst all odds.

Describing her fundamentals about working in films, she said: "It's best not to do any prior calculations and instead just step into doing something where your instinct drives you. This is why I concentrate completely on my work."

"As long as people say that I am a decently good actor and a very fine professional, I can say that I am at a happy place. I would be quite worried if they start saying anything to the contrary," added Priyanka, who has worked in around 30 films during the last six and a half years in Bollywood.

Priyanka will next be seen in Siddharth Anand's "Anjaana Anjaani" with Ranbir Kapoor. After that, she will begin work on Vishal Bharadwaj's yet untitled film.

Indo Asian News Service