“Sanjay Gupta really liked me for the looks” – Debutant Priya Banerjee on her presence in Jazbaa

October 2, 2015 - 11:12 AM IST

From Canada to India, it has been one eventful journey for young Priya Banerjee. A participant in Miss World Canada where she was also declared as Miss Photogenic, she debuted in the world of films with a Telugu release Kiss (2013). Two years and three films later, she is now gearing up for the release of her first ever Bollywood flick Jazbaa. Here is introducing Priya Banerjee, the pretty young woman who is sharing screen space with none less than Irrfan, Shabana Azmi and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in her debut affair that has Sanjay Gupta at the driver's seat.

So how is the girl from Canada finding the big bad world of Bollywood so far?

“Sanjay Gupta really liked me for the looks” – Debutant Priya Banerjee on her presence in Jazbaa

"Well, it is all so surreal," says the 25 year old, "I never had a set strategy or anything. I came to India as I wanted to learn acting. I joined the acting course at Anupam Kherâ€™s Actor Prepares. When I was finishing my course, someone asked me to audition for a South film. That was my first auditioning experience and that too for a Telugu film."

Fortunately for her, she did get the offer.

"When I got it, I was like 'Err... ok, let me do that'," she smiles, "I went with the flow and after that even got nominated for the Best Debut. I didn't get the award but then perhaps things take place how they are meant to happen, so no regrets."

Soon enough, there were Bollywood offers that started coming her way as well.

"I was shooting for another South film when I got to know that Sanjay was auditioning for a part in Jazbaa. I saw the films that he had done and read about it. It was only during the narration that I got to know about Irrfan, Aishwarya and Shabanaji in the film's cast. It all just happened to fall in place. Now that I am participating in the promotion, I am further enjoying the whole process."

There is a story that goes beyond how Priya was the chosen one for the edge of the seat suspense thriller that Jazbaa is touted to be.

"Sanjay really liked me for the looks," grins Priya, "He was looking for someone really young and felt that I fitted the bill. I am anyways the youngest in the film. As for the manner in which he has presented me then well, he definitely has the knack for making scenes look really amazing. His outlook towards lighting and style is simply great. He wanted me to be just myself in front of the camera as he wanted to present me on screen as is. He has made it all look so good."

We would like to see how it all unfolds on screen.