American screenwriter, Sri Rao, who got his first break with the English TV series, What Goes On, in 2007, and went on to write General Gospital: Night Shift, had always dreamt of writing for a Bollywood project. After shopping his scripts in India for a couple of years, he made a writing debut in 2016 with Nitya Mehra's Baar Baar Dekho, featuring Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif.

Around the time, inspired by Dhak Dhak girl Madhuri Dixit and her life in the US post marriage, he wrote a comedy show and took it to Priyanka Chopra who was scouting for scripts to produce. And a collaboration was forged.

Speaking to Mirror from New York, 'Producer Pri', a tag coined by the 34-year-old actress's fan clubs, said, “One of the favourite parts of my job as an actress-producer is that I can tell stories across genres, languages and to a varied audience. The story needs to appeal to me and impress me and what better than the incredible, real life of Madhuri Dixit.“

PeeCee, who is presently shooting for Todd Strauss's Isn't It Romantic alongside Rebel Wilson, Liam Hemsworth and Adam Devine in New York, described Sri's story as “amazing“ and asserts that she can't wait to work with both Madhuri and Sri to see how it will pan out. “It's unchartered territory for me but I'm happy I've taken another step in my creative journey as a producer,“ she exulted.

The yet-untitled series follows a former Bollywood star who, after marriage, settles down in a sleepy American suburb with her bi-cultural family. “It's a fun concept and will be shot as a single-camera sitcom which will blend comedic and dramatic elements. I've only just begun developing the pilot but am rolling up my sleeves and getting to work,“ she laughed, adding that she's wrapped up her second Hollywood film, Silas Howard's A Kid Like Jake, a transgender-drama headlined by award-winning TV stars Jim Parsons and Claire Danes, in which she plays a single mom. “Sri is fabulous and this is his series, I'm only shepherding it,“ PeeCee adds.

The pilot, which will be shot next month, will have Madhuri and her husband Sriram Nene on-board as the executive producers. ABC Studios, Mark Gordan and Nick Pepper are pro ducing the show.

Priyanka took the idea to Mark three months ago and the producer was instantly keen on collaborating with her on an Indo-American series. “I had a great experience with Mark and Nick during Quantico and this is the perfect extension of our long friendship,“ she signs off, promising there are more Hollywood projects lined up for her this year.