IANS
Mumbai, Apr 20: Almost 90 percent of the men who occupied the hot seat opposite Shah Rukh Khan in "Kaun Banega Crorepati" (KBC) had one dream. They all wanted to take Priyanka Chopra on a holiday.
The actress giggles at the observation.
"I'm aware of this. It's very sweet. In fact, when I shot for KBC this was mentioned to me. I'm told men on KBC want to take me anywhere, from a restaurant to the moon," Priyanka told IANS.
During Amitabh Bachchan's tenure on KBC, it was Aishwarya Rai who seemed to occupy the maximum male attention.
Priyanka, who appeared on the grand finale episode of the show on STAR Plus Thursday, ponders on that one. "Oh, really? I hope I don't get married next year." She laughs.
"But seriously, I like being popular. That's what we work towards. I've been here for three-four years. I've long way to go. Considering, I don't have a godfather in the industry, I feel doubly gratified when people appreciate me."
Priyanka, who was one of the judges on the recently held Femina India Miss India contest, says it was an emotional moment for her.
"It made me so nostalgic. I remembered my own walk on the ramp. I knew exactly what the girls were going through. It was tough. I kept telling the other judges to get it right because it could make or break lives."
She says life since the crowning has been tough.
"The walk from the ramp to the screen hasn't been easy for me. So far the journey has been worth the while. To keep one's head on the shoulder and one's family by one's side is very important. I'd be nowhere without my family."
She has more reason to get nostalgic.
"'Big Brother' is the first film I shot for. But miraculously we completed most of the film in the last six months. So it's as fresh as a daisy. I haven't done a film like this. And my co-star Sunny Deol will always remain special.
"I'm still very nervous of him. I still can't look him in the eyes. There's so much respect for him when he walks into a room. It's easy to get enamoured of his personality."
Priyanka remembers her initial gawkiness.
"I didn't know where to stand, which way the camera was facing. Today, I'm far more confident. I'm learning. I go to my set everyday like school."
She admits "Big Brother" is a hero-centric film.
"So were 'Krrish' and 'Don'. I think it's important to be part of successful films. Once I stand on my own, I can do heroine-centric films. Right now, I'm trying to do box-office compatible films. I'm not ready to shoulder a film yet. I leave it to Sunny's strong, sturdy shoulders."
Priyanka won't sign a new film until it excites her.
"Till then I've my ads and stage shows. And I'll take that holiday which I've never taken in my life."