After debuting in Hollywood with a primetime slot on American TV and headline-grabbing appearances at award shows, Priyanka Chopra is now making inroads into Marathi cinema. The actress's debut production, a dramedy titled Ventilator, directed by Ferrari Ki Sawaari debutant Rajesh Mapuskar (inset), rolled on Wednesday.

“It is all about family and emotions, a story with a message but told in a fun way. The shoot kicked off in Shrivardhan in the Raigad district. The next schedule, a longer one, will be in Mumbai. It's too early to reveal the cast but there will be some surprises. No, I can't tell you if Priyanka will make an appearance, yet,“ laughs Mapuskar.

On how he got PeeCee to produce the film, he reveals, “Priyanka was looking for a good project to start off her company. I happened to have a script ready and was looking for a producer. A common friend introduced us. She loved the script“.

While PeeCee is away shooting for Quantico in Montreal, her mother, Madhu Chopra, is keeping track of the project's progress. “Her mother is constantly in touch. Both she and Priyanka have read the entire script and trust me implicitly,“ Mapuskar adds.

Priyanka is the fourth Bollywood star, after Riteish Deshmukh, Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn, to venture into Marathi films. What's sparking this trend? “It works both ways. Marathi films are strong in content and are made on low budgets. In turn regional filmmakers benefit if a star name is associated with them. It helps to create a buzz,“ he explains.

What's the difference between the two industries? “Marathi cinema lets you tell a story you believe in while Bollywood films are driven by formula and economics,“ the filmmaker reasons.