ACTRESS KANGANA Ranaut is confident about being pitched against Priyanka Chopra in Madhur Bhandarkar's upcoming venture Fashion.
"Barring Anurag Basu's 'Metro', most of my films have been solo-heroine films revolving around my character. This is the first time I'm co-starring with another actress. I'm not insecure about it. Why should I be? Priyanka and I have distinct personalities and that's why Madhur has signed us to play the two very different characters," Kangana told IANS.
But Priyanka has a reputation of emerging as trumps whenever pitched against another actress like against Kareena Kapoor in Aitraaz and Lara Dutta in Andaaz.
"Good!" ripostes Kangana. "It'd be healthy competition. We'll both do our best. A film shouldn't be like a kabaddi competition.
"And moreover Priyanka is not one of those actresses who has catfights on the sets or walks off because...bhalaa uski kameez meri kameez se zyada safed kyon hai! She is very secure in her space as I am in mine. 'Fashion' is the first film I've signed in the last six months. I choose my roles according to what suits my personality."
Bhandarkar must be the only filmmaker in the industry who casts for women's parts before getting the guys in place.
For Fashion he first trotted to Priyanka, waited till she approved of the final draft before going to Kangana to play the other lead.
"The narration happened just a few days ago. Madhur and I had been in talks for some time. When I heard the story I jumped at it. We start shooting in December," says the actress who is just back from a holiday in her hometown Manali.
Is there a danger of her being typecast as a neurotic, on-the-edge, parapet actor?
"No parapets this time, only the ramp," chuckles Kangana. "I admit it is again a role about a woman on the edge, on the lines of Geetanjali Nagpal's character, though Madhur had written the script long before.
"In any case such stories of wasted dreams are common in the entertainment industry. But Geetanjali and I do look similar, frizzy hair and all."