With just one film, the tag of ‘Priyanka Chopra’s cousin’ faded away, while the industry got a new babe in tinsel town. Dimple Chaddha became Parineeti Chopra’s new identity after ‘Ladies vs Ricky Bahl’. The film had Anushka Sharma playing lead, while it also had other actresses like Dipannita Sharma and Aditi Sharma. Yet, Parineeti hasn’t stopped receiving accolades, and has been sweeping away all the awards in the Best Debutante category. Ask her if she’d expected all of this and she says, “No! When I started working on ‘Ladies vs Ricky Bahl’ and went on the sets, it was such a good feeling. I was so excited. So, the thought of awards never crossed my mind. Our film released in December last year. And the awards season commenced in January, and that’s when I first felt like winning an award, after my nomination.” The actress went on to win 10 awards this year.

Coming up now will be IIFA Awards which the actress is looking forward to to attend, and bag some more. “Every year I used to hear about IIFA awards and all the fun related to it from Priyanka. I’m so glad that this year I’ll be able to experience it myself. I shall be going with my whole ‘khandaan’.” But ask her about her other favourite films of last year, apart from her own, and she quips, “It has to be ‘Rockstar’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’. I just loved them those films.” And what about actors? “Of course, Ranbir for ‘Rockstar’ and Vidya Balan for ‘The Dirty Picture’ are the ones I’m putting my money on,” says Parineeti without blinking.

A little away from the glory of her debut film, Parineeti is set for her next, ‘Ishaqzaade’, opposite Boney Kapoor’s son Arjun Kapoor who will debut with this project. “We’ve really worked hard on the film. Now we are hoping that the audience will like our work and the film,” she says without divulging much about the film. But as an afterthought, she adds, “I hope Arjun bags all the awards for his debut this year.”

Looking at her closely while chatting and we wonder if it’s just us or has Parineeti actually shed some pounds? Her debut film indeed had a little plum Parineeti. Tell her about our observation and she agrees, “Dimple Chaddha was a little healthy girl. Hence, I was told by the director not to lose weight. But then I realised, after the film I had gone all lazy. So I decided to be fit. After all, I’m a young 22-year-old girl and can’t afford to be all lazy and unfit. So I lost some weight, which is good.” Talking about fitness, her cousin Piggy Chops always looks super fit and in shape. Did she take any tips from her senior sister? “I tell her not to stand next to me, because she actually has a great body and I might feel unfit due to that. But you know, Priyanka eats like a ‘bhains’. Yet she is blessed to stay thin. And I might put on weight if I even smell food,” she laughs.

The one film old Parineeti clearly is all bubbly and chirpy, true to her screen character Dimple. And the fact that stardom hasn’t got to her head is what makes her even more endearing.