If you rate someone who overcomes a series of obstacles to realise a dream as a person with dogged determination, then Piaa Bajpai, is certainly one.
The lass, who boasts of looks to die for, has fought wrong perceptions and conservative mindsets to make it big in Kollywood. The actress at her candid best…
Career:
I did my schooling from Etawah, a very small town in UP, where a lot of restrictions are imposed on girls. Even now, most girls in Etawah can’t wear tight denims. Add to that the fact that I come from a family of teachers and you’ll have some idea of how difficult it was for me to enter the film world. Many think that it’s next to impossible to make it big in this industry. But then, I wanted to be a part of this industry.
So, from Etawah, I went to Gwalior to finish my computer studies and from there to Delhi, where I worked for some time. I then moved to Mumbai where again there was nobody to back me. But then, thanks to a lot of good people, my career took off.
It’s only during the last one-and-a-half years that my career has looked up. It was during this period that I did many commercials, including one with Amitabh Bachchan for Cadbury’s and one with Mahendra Singh Dhoni for Sonata. Apart from these, my KFC ad has been a big hit. I remember once I was at the Chennai airport when a customs officer came up to me and asked, “Hey, you are the KFC girl, aren’t you?” I said, “yes.”
The lass, who boasts of looks to die for, has fought wrong perceptions and conservative mindsets to make it big in Kollywood. The actress at her candid best…
Career:
I did my schooling from Etawah, a very small town in UP, where a lot of restrictions are imposed on girls. Even now, most girls in Etawah can’t wear tight denims. Add to that the fact that I come from a family of teachers and you’ll have some idea of how difficult it was for me to enter the film world. Many think that it’s next to impossible to make it big in this industry. But then, I wanted to be a part of this industry.
So, from Etawah, I went to Gwalior to finish my computer studies and from there to Delhi, where I worked for some time. I then moved to Mumbai where again there was nobody to back me. But then, thanks to a lot of good people, my career took off.
It’s only during the last one-and-a-half years that my career has looked up. It was during this period that I did many commercials, including one with Amitabh Bachchan for Cadbury’s and one with Mahendra Singh Dhoni for Sonata. Apart from these, my KFC ad has been a big hit. I remember once I was at the Chennai airport when a customs officer came up to me and asked, “Hey, you are the KFC girl, aren’t you?” I said, “yes.”
Entry into Kollywood:
I was shooting for a commercial for Graviera when I met Priyadarshan sir in Mumbai. One day, I got a call from Vijay sir who said, ‘Piaa, we are having auditions for a role. We want you to come. Just be your natural self and don’t wear any make up.’ I went there and found a lot of people, all decked up, waiting for the auditions to begin. I was told to play the role of a happy girl, excited about something in life. I pretended to have got the role and jumped about in joy. The next day I got a message saying that Priyadarshan sir had liked my audition and I had been selected for the role.
Initial reactions:
Even when people told me I had got the role, I thought they were pulling a fast one on me. My parents thought that I was joking. They never believed that I could make it until now. In fact, it was only last night that my dad, after seeing the good response to Poi Solla Porom, called me to say that I had made it. You can’t blame them. You don’t always see a girl from a small town making it big in a place like Chennai.
About Aegan:
I’m very confident about Aegan. It’s the best thing that has happened to me so far. The movie is slated for a Diwali release.
On the confusion over her name:
My name is Piaa Bajpai and I haven’t changed it. There have been rumours doing the rounds that I have changed my name to Preethi. Piaa is such a lovely name. In Hindi, it means one’s beloved.
While shooting for Poi Solla Porom:
We were shooting for the video song and I had to wear an extremely short skirt for the song. I didn’t have a problem at first but then, I had to stand before Nasser sir, who was supposed to change his facial expression on seeing me in that attire. Every time, he changed his facial expression, I felt kind of embarrassed and would burst out laughing. I finally requested Nasser sir to not change his facial expression until I’d shut my eyes and he sweetly obliged. If you watch the song, you’ll find the camera positioned over my shoulder and focussing on Nasser sir’s face.
We were shooting for the video song and I had to wear an extremely short skirt for the song. I didn’t have a problem at first but then, I had to stand before Nasser sir, who was supposed to change his facial expression on seeing me in that attire. Every time, he changed his facial expression, I felt kind of embarrassed and would burst out laughing. I finally requested Nasser sir to not change his facial expression until I’d shut my eyes and he sweetly obliged. If you watch the song, you’ll find the camera positioned over my shoulder and focussing on Nasser sir’s face.
Another incident that happened was when we were shooting next to a dam. My assistant has this habit of playing pranks. I had to act in a scene and had handed him my mobile. Just before we were to go for the take, he said, ‘Hey Piaa, can I throw your mobile into the water?’ I threatened him not to. He had a wicked smile on his face and just when the director said action, I saw my mobile drowning in the dam. And I forgot all my lines. We finally fished out my mobile. But then, it wasn’t working. Poi Solla Porom is doing exceptionally well and I hope to work on more projects like this in Kollywood.
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