Taking Life as it Comes

After making headlines over a controversial statement about her debut film, Mannara Chopra tells City Express that she was misquoted
Taking Life as it Comes

Within four days of the release of its trailer, Anubhav Sinha’s Zid had managed to garner over 1.6 million views on YouTube and along with it lot of raised eyebrows too. After all, the film’s leading lady, Mannara aka Barbie Handa, apart from posing topless for the film’s poster, was seen in intimate and sensuous no-holds-bar scenes.

As expected, Mannara’s bare torso in the film has got her just as much limelight as the fact that she is treading the Bollywood way after her cousins, Priyanka and Parineeti.

Mannara, however, is not a happy girl. The actress who made a name in Telugu filmdom before setting sights on Bollywood, says she has already fallen prey to media’s over enthusiasm. “I have been misquoted by media,” she tells City Express.Post the trailer’s release, a leading national daily quoted Mannara saying, “We are in 2014 and I can’t be in a ghoonghat. If I wanted to be all covered, I’d do a saas-bahu serial. I have a hot body and I don’t mind showing it.”

Mannara clarifies that her statement was with reference to her character in the film.

“The character Maya has many shades to her personality. She is bubbly and flirtatious, but as the plot thickens, she takes a new new avatar and turns bold, menacing, gun yielding. But in all this her sensuality remains intact.”

She further adds that if people called her beautiful, she has to be polite and say thank you. “This however doesn’t not mean that I like being called hot or that I believe in skin show. My comment was just that the character in the film has to be someone bold and strong and that’s what I was did. It was my job,” Mannara says.

The actress, however, is not afraid of being stereotyped and says a debutante can’t be a chooser. “You don’t choose your first film; your first film chooses you. Besides, I have acted in Tollywood films. People know me and those who don’t, will know me after Zid for my acting,” says the confident actress who made her Tollywood debut with Prema Geema Jantha Nahi starring Indian Idol singer Sreeram Chandra.

While Mannara says she was overwhelmed with the trust the director and producer placed in her while making Zid, the love she received in Tollywood will always remain special.

“As an actor I am open to working in both Tollywood and Bollywood,” she says and adds that she does not see language as a barrier.

The young actress who says confidence is her middle name, does not see her cousins Priyanka and Parineeti as competitors. “Pari is like a buddy. We grew up together. And as for PC, she is the most sensible and grounded person who has so much to offer to others,” she says fondly.

While it feels nice to be related to the stars, Mannara didn’t not abuse her cousins’ name to clinch the offer and had to go through five rounds of audition for Maya’s role.

Though as an actor Zid is her debut in the industry, Mannara is not unknown to the world of glamour and light,camera, action – thanks to her modelling stint. “I have done over 25 advertisements with the likes of Salman Khan, Imtiyaz Ali and my cousin Priyanka,” says Mannara who has also worked as assistant choreographer, fashion designer besides being trained in dance forms like hip hop and belly dancing.

While we hope Zid – slated for November 28 release – puts Mannara in the league of her cousins – Priyanka and Parimeeti – Mannara says she does not have any plan B if the film fails to create any ripples. “Every morning I wake up, take my cup of milk or green tea and greet myself good morning. I take life as it comes and believe in going with the flow,” says the actress solemnly.

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The New Indian Express
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