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EXCLUSIVE: Madhu Chopra on daughter Priyanka Chopra receiving hate on social media: No one can bring her down with silly trolls
Madhu Chopra opens about Pahuna, the challenges she faces as a producer and Priyanka Chopra.
Our global girl Priyanka Chopra and mom Madhu Chopra are currently on cloud nine as their next production Pahuna: The Little Visitors premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
After their Marathi movie Ventilator won several accolades, it is indeed a great opportunity for the production company!
In an exclusive interview with Pinkvilla, Madhu Chopra spoke at length about Pahuna, the challenges she faces as a producer and Priyanka Chopra.
Here's an excerpt from the interview:
Pahuna premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. How does it feel?
The mandate of our company is that we will take out good stories from different regions of the country and give them a platform in India and on the world stage. So, that is what we have tried to do. We are very proud of this project and it is a very simple story from the point of view of two children but it deals with much larger issues with the kids of today.
Our film can be placed anywhere in the world because this is the situation that is happening all over today. What is the actual unrest that is happening, that the entire village has to flee out of fear? This we are talking from children's point of view. The children don't know what is Maoist or Naxal, they just know that they have been kicked out of their houses. There is no mention of Maoist in the movie, not even one red flag is shown.
What were the challenges you faced as a producer?
We had probably misjudged the troubles that we might have to face during the shoot. So it is not like it cost us a lot of money but yes the budget did go overboard. We did not factor in so much trouble but the moment you interact with so many people who don't know how a film is made and the good thing about our company was that we hired local crew and cast and we had them trained. So, it was literally starting from point 0.
How much was Priyanka involved with the movie, at the pre and post production level?
She is completely involved from the word go - be it creatively, the story, narration, screenplay. NOTHING stands on its feet until Priyanka has set her eyes on them and approved them and green lit them. Priyanka has been extremely hands-on and yes we have had some major difficulties in Sikkim. PeeCee was in New York then but she managed to deal with it from there during the process of production. She doesn't need to be in one place to take a look at matters. I tell her she is omnipresent.
How will Priyanka be involved with the promotions of Pahuna?
She is helping us with the promotions but at the same time, she is not putting the burden of success because of her being there in the production. She understands that the project has to live its own life and not because she is kicking it. However, she will say and do what she has to. She has put us on the world map and I don't deny that at all.
How does it feel as a mother when you see your daughter's unprecedented success not just here but globally?
It is only hard work. I think if Priyanka can achieve it anyone who puts in that much of time and effort in their work will definitely achieve something.
How will you describe Priyanka as a daughter and a producer?
As a producer, she is very hands-on and supportive and very hard - she doesn't pass small mistakes. She is very hard on her project.
As a daughter, she is an exemplary daughter. I wish everyone has such daughter but to make such kind of daughters you have to have that kind of parents as well. (laughs)
Priyanka has been a victim of several trolls lately. How do you deal with it? Does it affect you?
It used to affect me earlier but now before I can tell her anything she only calls me and says, 'Mom it is okay, I will deal with it.' Now, it doesn't affect me at all. Journalists and fans have their own minds, they have a right on her, some write good things and some write bad. She is a public person and every fan has a right on her and she recognizes that.
But does it bother you when she gets trolled for something as simple as her choice of apparels?
I know she is protocol wise correct. She is never wrong. (pointing to PeeCee's picture with the President of India) that is Priyanka when she has to meet the President of India. If there was anything untoward about her outfit then PM's protocol officers would have stopped her. I don't give importance to trollers who just troll for 2 mins of fame. No one can bring her down with such silly things.
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