Sonam Kapoor is the showstopper for designer Pernia Qureshi tonight
Manish Mishra (DNA; June 9, 2016)

Style maven Pernia Qureshi is extremely observant and indulges in people-watching all the time. She soaks in everything — from movies to art to people —and this vast wealth of inspiration finds its way in her creations. “I am a sensitive person and have my ears and eyes always open. Besides, I’m a huge movie buff and love dance.” Not surprising as her new line captures the old world regalia of actress Vyjayanthimala so ably essayed in the cult dance-inspired film Amrapali. Qureshi’s friend Sonam Kapoor will be walking the ramp for her. Over to Miss Qureshi...

Tell us about Sonam Kapoor’s outfit.
It’s very ethereal, goddess-like but in a modern way and at same time quite wearable. Sonam is a chameleon and can carry off just any style under the sun. She is capable of doing full justice to any style of clothing. My line oozes elegance and it completely befits Sonam’s personality. The collection is about grace and grace is something which Sonam has in abundance. At the same time, it’s a young and fun collection. I have been a huge fan of Vyjayanthimala in the epic film Amrapali and the line is a modern version of that aesthetic.

You’ve worked with Sonam in Aisha and she’s walking for you after a long time. How do you two share your creative canvas?
I think Sonam and I have a similar work synergy. We get each other. Having said that, we haven’t worked together in a long time and she’s walking for me as a friend.

Aisha was the time when Sonam started out her career. How do you see her evolution over the years as a fashionista?
She’s come into her own. With time one grows and gets matured. She was always confident and stylish and now I see a certain maturity in her.

What does brand Pernia Qureshi stand for?
I think it’s too new as it’s just a four-year-old label and I still need some time to find my voice. It’s still evolving but I’d say that it represents elegance and sophistication. I’m trying to discover my own voice by putting myself out there with a show like this. It’s my first show and so far I have retailed from my shop.

What have been your learnings as a fashion entrepreneur?
The more you see, the more educated you become. I think there’s a lot of fashion potential in India. Being part of the industry, I’m well-informed as to where fashion in India is headed. I’ve been lucky to be part of the fashion story as I am passionate about it and it really interests me. The whole idea behind the pop-up store was to put India on the global firmament. Having worked with so many designers and brands, I am able to take better decisions as an entrepreneur.

Is there a style icon you admire?
I observe a lot of street style. I’d say Rekhaji is eternally stylish and sexy. One looks at everyone but it’s crucial to nurture one’s own sensibility.

How’s your personal style?
Feminine, classic with a fun twist. I have a weakness for whites, pastels, greys and blacks. I think shift dresses are most comfortable to wear. Style should be simple, the simpler, the better. Having said that, once in a while one can go crazy.

We asked celebrities to recount their most abiding December 31 memory. Some extolled spontaneity, others prescribed debauchery
MUMBAI MIRROR (December 29, 2015)


Shilpa Shetty Kundra
My most memorable New Year's would be the first one I celebrated with my son Viaan in London. It was so special to usher in a new year with him, that too in London, which is my go-to place for celebrating Christmas and the end of any year.


Arshad Warsi
The year 2000 stands out in my memory. My friends from the States had been planning a Goa trip for long, but it was always kept on the backburner. They somehow landed up there together. The hotels were all packed. All I could find was a dilapidated bungalow by the beach. And we rented a music system from the neighbour. Last minute spontaneity is always more special.


Priyanka Chopra
If I were to be honest, I'd have to admit that I have no December 31 memories. A decade ago, I remember the young, reckless me partying on New Year's Eve. I woke up late in the afternoon the next day, surrounded by my girl friends. 'Kya kiya tha humne kal raat ko?' That's what I kept asking everyone. But wait, this is not one crazy party memory. This is how I celebrate every New Year. And that's how it should be - washed out, wasted, surrounded by friends and family, not knowing what happened the previous night.


Radhika Apte
During college, there were many bikers in my group. So one New Year's Eve, we took off to the Sahyadri mountains. It was a dark, cold, quiet and beautiful night. We spent it singing songs, riding bikes and laughing. Naturally, we have remained great friends.


Purab Kohli
I live in Goa when I'm not working. On December 31 last year, my friends were out camping on a secluded beach. I drove my bike for three-and-a-half hours and I joined a party of 15 people. The food was laid out. There was great wine and we listened to some fantastic music off a boom box for hours. We slept under the stars. I woke up to see three dolphins playing in the sea water. That New Year's morning was nothing short of magical.


Shraddha Kapoor
I usually like being with my family on important days and I have vivid memories of celebrating many a New Year's with them. Of late, however, I have gotten busy and I have a hectic schedule. It's been relatively tough to spend December 31 with relatives. Last year, though, I spent it with my mother during the shoot of ABCD2 in Las Vegas. Hugging her at 12 is still how I'd like to usher in January 1.


Pernia Qureshi
Six years ago, I was in New Delhi, taking a break from my college in New York. My friends and I had piled up in a car and were on our way to a house party. The fog was so bad that the traffic had come to a standstill. We had some champagne bottles in the car, which we popped open. Music blared from the radio. We danced on the road. The best New Year's, really.


Juhi Chawla
I've done the whole 'loud partying' thing on New Year's in Goa, Antarctica, everywhere. But the one that is stuck in my memory is the one from 2004. I was in Phuket. We landed late at night and slept through the next day. We woke up to the devastation caused by the tsunami. The hotel staff requested that we stay back, for they had already incurred severe losses. We did. For New Year's Eve, the staff served dinner on the terrace of the hotel. At 12, we lit Chinese lanterns and set them afloat in the air. We prayed for the lives that were lost. It was also a prayer of gratitude.


Yuvraj Singh
I am not so sure about the best party I have ever had, but in the year 2007, I went on a cruise with the Indian team, in Australia. I had a real good time and that's a memory that is strongly etched in my mind.

Anushka Manchanda
I've had a beautiful experience in Goa. I spent a magical night on the beach with friends. We drank wine straight from the bottle and ate some local seafood in takeaway containers. We had a midnight picnic and slept under the stars on the beach, even though we had rented some beach shacks. I woke up to little crabs crawling over my body at sunrise.

Manish Mishra (DNA; November 27, 2015)


Adds the source, “Since it’s something Pernia loves to do, she is looking forward to take up the offer. The show will offer behind-the-scenes peek into the glamorous life of fashion industry like never before. The viewers will get a chance to catch the best of the fashion weeks, fashion hits and misses of the week and get knowledge from the industry experts.”

When contacted she shared, “I’m just exploring offers right now. Haven’t confirmed anything yet and hence don’t have details to share.”

Madhu Mantena and Masaba Gupta's sangeet over the weekend had plenty to sing, dance and write about
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 23, 2015)

GQ INDIA

Pernia Qureshi, after separating from ex-husband Arjun Prasad, has been juggling between Mumbai and Delhi; will be heading on a Kuchipudi India tour next
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 7, 2015)

Daughter of Delhi-based meat magnate Moin Qureshi, Pernia Qureshi's wedding was the talk of the town after news spread that her John Galliano-designed gown had cost Rs 80 lakh. The actress tied the knot with UK-based banker, Arjun Prasad, in 2011, and they moved into an apartment in Lodhi Gardens, paid for by the bride's father. In less than a year, the couple split. Hot-headed Arjun reportedly got into a spat with Priyanka Gandhi's high-profile husband, Robert Vadra, at the launch of a nightclub. He also supposedly got into a verbal altercation with Amar Sareen, Pernia's former friend. There was also talk of Arjun taking off with some of his father-in-law's money. Last heard, Arjun was cooling his heels off in Dubai.

Elegant and dignified, Pernia insists that the experience hasn't put her off the institution. "At the moment I'm happy being single and busy with my work. But when the time is right, I will marry. Right now, I am focussing all my energy on work," she asserts, with her head held high. The fashionista-turned-fashion designer makes her acting debut today in Umrao Jaan director, Muzaffar Ali's comeback film, Jaanisaar. The period romance set 20 years after the First War of Indian Independence in 1857, has her as Noor, courtesan who has lost her heart to an Indian prince, Ameer, brought up in England, played by Pakistani actor, Imran Abbas Naqvi. Before the film went on the floors last year, Pernia trained with Kathak maestro, Pandit Birju Maharaj, in Delhi. "Not all dancers are great teachers but Maharajji is both. We grew close during the course of our one-on-one dance sessions and I will cherish his teachings forever," says Pernia, recalling how she kept looking towards Ali for approval when they were shooting a Kathak dance, but he kept a poker face, only complimenting her after the shoot was over. "His opinion really matters because I know Muzaffar sir never says anything flattering or frivolous. But he has always made his women look sensual and I trust him implicitly."

Next month, she takes off on a nationwide Kuchipudi dance tour and plans to start learning Odissi next year. What about movies? Pernia admits that there are no offers in hand, at the moment. "I'd rather wait and do a great film with a director I look up to than one just for the heck of it," she shrugs.

You only have to look into her beautiful face to know this isn't just another actress. Her parents insisted she complete her education before pursuing a Bollywood career.

She got a Masters degree in dance from the US and returned to India five years ago. Her first job was as costume designer for childhood buddy, Sonam Kapoor's home production, Aisha. "It was by a random coincidence that I got associated with the romcom. I was barely paid anything but I enjoyed it since it was my first real job," she reminisces with a smile.

She's often been in the news for her close bonding with Sonam Kapoor and of late, Jacqueline Fernandez. But she's quick to point out that they are not her only friends. "I have no hang-ups. I get along with everyone from my generation, even if they are rival designers like Masaba (Gupta) and Nikhil (Thampi). They are my close friends," says Pernia who has launched her own clothing line, a pop-up store and multiple fashion labels. "I want to go international with my line and store by year end," she signs off.

MUMBAI MIRROR (August 5, 2015)

Renowned fashion entrepreneur Pernia Qureshi will be making her big Bollywood debut alongside Pakistani heartthrob Imran Abbas in Muzaffar Ali's period drama, Jaanisaar.

The fascinating trailer of the movie produced by Kotwara Studios and Meera Ali has received humongous response and people can't stop raving about Pernia and Imran's on-screen chemistry. The young talented actors share a sizzling chemistry and are beautifully complimenting each other in Jaanisaar.

Imran says, "We have a very sparkling chemistry in the film which one can see beautifully on screen. Pernia is a very fun and easy person to work with and I m glad that for my second film I got to work with such a talented person. To the world she looks very mature because of her image of a young successful entrepreneur but nobody knows her fun side which can be seen through her cute little pranks."

Says Pernia, "Imran and I hit it off as friends very soon after we met. Shooting Jaanisaar was so much fun because I had a friend on set to chat, joke and laugh with. I think this chemistry we share off screen really comes across on screen as well. Muzaffar sir was very happy about it."

Produced by Kotwara Studios and Meera Ali, and directed by Muzaffar Ali, Jaanisaar releases on 7th August 2015.

Muzaffar Ali talks about putting the past into perspective and educating today’s youth on the cultural history of pre-Independent India
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 3, 2015)

As we enter Muzaffar Ali’s Juhu bungalow, we are greeted by his pet dog, Masti, who lies sprawled on a couch specially made for him. The walls are adorned with his paintings and framed poetic verses — apart from being a producer-director, the 70-year-old is a painter, writer, poet and fashion designer too. Ali enters the living room, dressed in an ivory coloured shirt and grey trousers, his white mane kissing his shoulders. His grandchild, Imaan (son of filmmaker Shaad Ali) starts babbling away at his sight. We are meeting Ali to discuss his return to Bollywood after almost three decades with the soon-to-be-released Jaanisaar. Much like his Rekha-starrer classic, Umrao Jaan (1981), this film too is set around the time of India’s first war of independence in 1857. In a candid chat with hitlist , the multi-faced personality explains how he is getting a hang of the publicity blitzkrieg associated with films nowadays…

Do you feel like a beginner considering the filmmaking process has completely changed now?
Since my son (Shaad Ali) is also a filmmaker, there is always talk of films at home. So, it is not that I was totally cut off from it. I might be making a film after years, but there’s other stuff that has kept me busy — from my fashion label to my Sufi music festivals to art and poetry. The people I work with are all young, so I am attuned to what is happening now. What I am learning to grapple with is the market realities of today — how to get an opening with less pressure.

Why do you choose the Indian Rebellion of 1857 as the backdrop for all your films?
That’s because I want to put the past into perspective for the cultured evolution of our society. Today’s youth is evolving with a lot of gaps. There are certain things they ought to know. Some things have been purposely taken out. People have been misled and misdirected. Our democracy is in the doldrums. We are at a crossroads — who to choose, why to choose. In a way, we are going through the dark ages. We need to know what has been going wrong since our first war of independence in 1857. We have to put on our thinking caps. Why does Hollywood keep making films on the American civil war and the holocaust? To make the newer generations aware of what went wrong.

You have always worked with stars. Why did you decide to cast new faces in Jaanisaar?
It is what I, as a director, perceive of them and what I can make of them. This is where the challenge lies for a filmmaker. I cast Imran Abbas after seeing his snapshots. I had not seen him in his Pakistani TV shows and had no idea of his Bollywood aspirations. As far as designer Pernia Qureshi is concerned, I saw her as an interesting raw material that I could mould.

Have you seen the remake of Umrao Jaan by J P Dutta in 2006?
I had heard of it, but I have not seen it. But what is heartening for me is that my film even three decades later is appreciated. There are people who have been born years after Umrao Jaan was made and have seen it… its songs are still remembered.

You have also turned actor with your upcoming film…
This is one more facet to me. My son, Shaad, has directed the scenes featuring me. As my character had to have coloured eyes, I wore contact lenses and due to the discomfort, I wanted him to shoot the scenes as fast as possible.

Chaya Unnikrishnan (DNA; August 2, 2015)


Jaanisaar starts 20 years after where Umrao Jaan ended. Why do you think you are the best choice to take the journey ahead?
(Laughs) I think this question should be asked to director Muzaffar Ali. I think he wanted a fresh face for the role. A girl who can live and breathe the role of Noor (her character in the film). Also, she had to be somebody, who is interested in dance because dance and Noor are synonymous with each other. I have been dancing since the age of three and dancers have a certain body language that non-dancers lack. Also, they can effortlessly sport the ethnic look. Muzaffar saab saw me at several dance recitals — I even performed at his sufi festival. He must have liked the way I expressed and emoted to cast me as Noor. Now, that I have lived and breathed Noor for a year, I can’t see anybody else playing her. Noor and I have become best friends. Not only did I get to play a character which has dance at its core, I got to dance to steps choreographed by Kathak legends. It’s a dream debut.

You must have seen Rekha’s Umrao Jaan...
Yes, I have seen it 30 times. Umrao Jaan has been my favourite movie since college days. Rekha is one of the finest actresses we have. She is an example to live by— even if I manage half of what she has achieved it’ll be great. I loved her in Khoobsurat, she was so good in comedy. Actually, she was good in every genre, great at drama — showing a vulnerable, emotional side to her. She is also a fashion icon — so effortlessly stylish and sophisticated. She is an inspiration for all the young girls.

What is the best part about doing a costume drama?
I loved it. I am a girlie girl and love to dress up. I got to wear beautiful clothes and exquisite jewellery. I felt like a princess. In fact, I watch a lot of movies for costumes. My favourite costume drama is Vyjayanthimala’s Amrapali. I would love to remake the film just so that I can wear each and every costume she wore in it. I also like Jodha Akbar and Lagaan. Muhgal-e-Azam is another favourite. The clothes were so feminine, so conservative covering the heroine from top to toe, but yet so sexy. It helped that the most beautiful woman —Madhubala was wearing it! In recent times, Baahubali has some of the best costumes.

After Muzaffar Ali, which other directors do you want to work with?
I enjoy family dramas, that’s my favourite genre. I love Sooraj Barjatya’s films, epecially the way all the traditional functions are shown. Another director I would love to work with is Mani Ratnam. He is a sensitive filmmaker — the way he tells stories, the characters, and shoots his films is visually appealing. He has a great sense of music. He is a genius.

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 11, 2015)

Muzaffar Ali explains why he is making a comeback after three decades with a debutant heroine and a Pakistani actor
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 2, 2015)

Thirty-three years after Aagaman (1982), Muzaffar Ali returns as a director with Jaanisaar. The film is set in 1877 and follows the journey of an Anglicised youth who discovers the ethos of being Indian. It's Ali's attempt to bring back the essence of freedom and a culture that has been lost to us.

"My Lucknow suffered the effects of the divide-and-rule policy of the colonial powers, the revolt of 1857 and the nationalist movement of 1947. The soul of the city has slowly changed beyond recognition. Having inherited the British disdain for anything Indian, we have no respect for our past or our aesthetics. We've lost the delicacy and finesse of the visual Indian experience which I'm hoping to bring back on screen," asserts the filmmaker remembered for the stark Gaman, the opulent Umrao Jaan and the issue-based Aagaman which Satish Gujral described as the most beautiful film he had seen. "He literally saw just the images because he had lost his sense of hearing," Ali says.

Point out that the last period film, Anurag Kashyap's Bombay Velvet, tanked, and this could make distributors and exhibitors shy away and he retorts, "That's a stupid way of looking at things. I don't like the film industry but I guess I'll have to face the harsh reality soon. I just hope that they also remember me as the man who made Umrao Jaan."

Wouldn't it have been easier had he made the film with an established star rather than launch fashion designer Pernia Qureshi in the lead? "Pernia has a lot of potential as an actress and she's a very good dancer who has worked with maestros Birju Maharaj and Kumudini Lakhia in my film," argues 70-year-old Ali who plays the role of a revolutionist himself, one who's always on horseback. "It was tough but I pulled it off."

He goes on to sigh that today's larger-than-life stars have a coterie of six favourite directors who are trying to get time from them for a film that revolves around them. "Why would they entertain someone like me who looks at life and his career so differently?" he asks. "Earlier, I lived in Mumbai, rubbed shoulders with them. But after my father's death in 1990, I moved to Kothwara in UP and no longer cosy up to the stars. The media is my star. I'll promote my film well and hope for an audience."

His film's hero is Pakistani actor Imran Abbas Naqvi. "There's no boy as good-looking as him in India or Pakistan," Ali raves. But isn't he leaving himself open to controversy by casting an actor from across the border? "Today, every home is tuned into Zindagi channel which airs Pakistani serials," he chuckles. "I'm a philosopher and my mission is to promote oneness of the human race, the brotherhood of man. These man-made boundaries don't bother me."

In 1988, he launched Zooni, a film on Habba Khatoon, the queen poetess of Kashmir, with the blessing of the then chief minister, Farooq Abdullah and cast the ethereal Dimple Kapadia in the title role. In '91, he had to abandon the film halfway through because of insurgency in the Valley. He waited a few years, hoping to complete the film, but then got involved with the crafts of Lucknow, moved on to making documentaries, shorts, TV series and serials like Woodcraft of Saharanpur, Vedakath: A Thervad in Kerala, Kali Mohini, Wah, Jaan-e-Alam and Vapas Chalo. He has also acted in a couple of serials.

Prod him on the chances of reviving Zooni and he admits that it will remain an unfulfilled dream because the Valley is no longer a Utopian place of peace and poetry but of suffering and death. "I shoot a film organically. I fall in love with the place and it becomes a part of my life. No one knew I was shooting Jaanisaar. I can't do that in Kashmir. Today, it pains me to go there. It a troubled zone now for films like Mission: Kashmir and Haider but not for a mystical journey like Zooni," he mourns.

However, he promises that the next break will not be so long. "I'm thinking of making a film on my father, Syed Sajid Husain Ali, the Raja of Kothwara," he reveals. "He fought the first elections in 1937 as an independent candidate against the Muslim League and won. His principles were humanism and secularism. He was vehemently opposed to the formation of Pakistan. The film will be set in the '30s and filmed in Lucknow, as well as Scotland and Ireland where he lived too."

BOMBAY TIMES (June 19, 2015)

BOMBAY TIMES (March 5, 2015)

Check out Pernia Qureshi and Imran Abbas in an exclusive still from director Muzaffar Ali's new period film Jaanisar. Set in pre-Independence India, the drama promises to be a visual delight for fans of the director's classic, Umrao Jaan, and also marks the debut of stylist-turned-actress Pernia.

The stylist will move to Mumbai to join films as soon as she develops a thick skin
Mitali Parekh (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 1, 2015)

Pernia Qureshi is first and foremost a Kathak and Kuchipudi dancer. Then she's a stylist, entrepreneur, author, designer and lately an actor. "I'm not used to having a free moment," says the 26-year-old. "I'm a boarding school child. My endeavour has been to find financial independence through things that I love doing so it doesn't seem like work. I'm not there yet, but slowly I will be." Her interest in fashion led to an internship with Cosmopolitan when she was on vacation in India. She discovered she liked it and followed it up with more work in New York.

A liberal upbringing opened these avenues to her. "Coming from a conservative Muslim family, my mother was never allowed to pursue her passion for dance. The first thing she did when here was sign up for Kathak. My sister and I would go along with her. But only I ended up pursuing it," she says.

Qureshi was first noticed as part of the fashion power posse; the other members being actress Sonam Kapoor, producer-cum-stylist Rhea Kapoor, stylist Tanya Ghavri and make-up artist Namrata Soni. They all met while working on Aisha. "Rhea and I clicked at a party because we are both extroverts," she says. "They already had a stylist on board. A few days later, she called me to say that their costume designer couldn't do the movie. I hadn't worked on a movie before, but I learnt on the job." The movie bombed but the team became power brokers in the world of fashion retail.

Since then, she has entered the online fashion retail space with Pernia's Pop-up, designed a pret line, written a book on style called Be Stylish, performed at the 2010 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony as part of Raja Reddy's troupe. Later this year, she debuts in designer director Muzaffar Ali's period drama Jaanisar.

"I love performing. I would even do it for an audience of one," says Qureshi, who studied in Woodstock, Mussoorie before studying pre-law at George Washington University in USA. "I think I always wanted to act, but did not admit it. We tend to judge people a certain way when they say they want to be actors. Isn't it a profession like any other? You work at it, you get paid for it, you enjoy it..." Muzaffar Ali, a friend of the family was over at their Delhi home one Eid, and he saw Qureshi dressed in a sharara. He called the next day to check if she'd do the film since he needed a strong Kathak dancer. "We did a screen test and he said I had potential. It's hard to get a compliment out of Muzaffar-uncle, so I thought I should give it a chance."

With a doorway into movies, she now wants to try to make it mainstream. "I want to do all sorts of movies — rom-coms, action, a negative role, something with dance, definitely, even Bollywood dancing," she says. Currently, she's looking for a place in Mumbai's suburbs that are the green room for starry-eyed strugglers. "My needs are simple. I am looking for a house that's easy on the eyes — in neutral colours and in which you can breathe," she says. The only way she's prepping herself for the move is by "developing a thick skin". "When you are an actor," she says, "Everyone has an opinion on your work and life." In Delhi, Qureshi and her Pakistan-born mother Nasreen circulate in hallowed circles. They are front-row regulars at Dior shows in Paris and famously bought out a complete Monisha Jaising collection fresh off the ramp. The family has roots in Rampur and her meat exporter father, Moin Akhtar Qureshi is currently under the Income Tax department's microscope for alleged hawala dealings. It's a subject Qureshi passes off with a 'no comments' just like her short-lived marriage to London-based chartered accountant Arjun Prasad, a close relative of union minister Jitin Prasada. The wedding took place in 2011, with the bride flying down the Armani Prive team for fittings for a pre-wedding gown.

"I'll try everything and give it my 100 per cent, but if it isn't working out, I'll just let it go," she says about her multiple projects, but she could well be talking about relationships.

It would be easy but lazy to pigeonhole her as a girl who likes dressing up. "I think if you spend more than five minutes deciding what to wear, you should get a job or learn something new," she says. "On a day-to-day basis, what I wear depends on what I am doing and how I feel about my body. Most of my life, my routine has been to get up and wear a salwar-kameez, and go to dance class. Then, if I am meeting someone in office, I'll wear a dress. If I am going to be indoors, I'll go in sweats. If I'm feeling fat, it'll be a shift dress."

Qureshi's life is a juggle between throaty Urdu, half-saris and a Nikhil Thampi cut-out gown for the evening. Ask her if she finds herself feel the pressure to be a poster girl for liberal Islam, and she says, "No. Why should I? As proud as I am about my roots, I want to be known for myself and what I have made for myself. Not anything else."

Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 9, 2015)

After a call from Sooraj Barjatya, Sonam Kapoor cancels a pyjama party for a 5am shoot with the star
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 7, 2015)

Sonam Kapoor was in the mood to party on Thursday night. The actress entered childhood pal Pernia Qureshi's pop-up shop party bare foot, high heels swinging in her hands, munching pizza and sipping champagne. "It's my night to let my hair down," she quipped.

The actress has been really busy the last month promoting her last release, Dolly Ki Doli, before flying out to attend the Armani show at the Paris Fashion Week. So, when she heard that Pernia was throwing a bash to celebrate the launch of a nightwear line on her online store, she asked if she could show up in pyjamas.

"No way!" Pernia screamed, pointing out that she was a fashion icon and had to turn up in a dress.

"So she wore an off-shoulder, black ballroom gown with diamonds around her neck," Pernia laughed.

The girls had hoped to make a night out of the occasion but their plans were cut short by a phone call from Sonam's Prem Ratan Dhan Payo director, Sooraj Barjatya. The director wanted to film a romantic scene with her and Salman during sunrise.

"He told me I had to report on the sets at 5 am. Now, I have to cancel the sleepover with my girlfriends at Pernia's apartment and head directly for Karjat," sighed the actress, perking up when reminded that it was Salman who would be serenading her.

Entrepreneur and stylista Pernia Qureshi, who is now gearing up for a Bolly debut, talks about her new role 
Srishti Dixit (DNA; February 5 ,2015)


You are an entrepreneur, a stylist, a designer, a dancer and now an actor. What’s next on your bucket list?
For now, it is complete focus on acting. I didn’t always know that I want to be any of the things that I am today; I just am open to new ideas as an artiste. I don’t like having free time. I was skeptical when the film was offered to me, but as a dancer I have been performing my whole life so I am used to emoting. My director told me that I already do this and the only thing needed is dialogue and camera. He assured me that I can act so I was like “Okay! Let me try this.” I didn’t realise that I’d have the time of my life, I haven’t enjoyed anything else this much in my career.

How was it like to be on a film set?
I have been on a film set for Aisha as I was styling Sonam for that. But we were like fat kids on the set. We were either eating or trying on clothes. I didn’t take it as a hardcore learning experience. As a live stage performer, I always thought performing live for an audience is the shit because you are under a lot of pressure and that gives me a big high. But somehow acting in front of a camera was the same as performing live for me. I was so upset when the film was wrapped! I was like “I want to shoot some more!” But Muzaffar Ali (director of Jaanisaar) added a scene later, we just shot it so I was really happy.

You’d be speaking a lot of Urdu in the film...
It wasn’t a problem because I am from UP; my father is from Rampur, my mother is from Pakistan. I grew up in a fully Urdu speaking house. I went to an American school but my mother had this really annoying rule when I came back home on vacation, that she would not speak or respond to me unless I don’t talk in Urdu. Her big worry was that I’ll lose my mother-tongue. The good thing that came out of this is that I can speak in Urdu. I had to work on my pronunciation and dialect for the film but the language wasn’t alien to me.

Tell me about your co-star.
Imran is tailor-made for this role. His character had to be extremely well-spoken, he had to have a certain vulnerability and innocence which boys these days hardly have! Actors don’t really have that quality these days because they think and know that they are great! Imran too has the airs of an actor because he is a huge star in Pakistan, but something about him is so sweet even in real life which translated onscreen. We became very good friends very quickly.

He and Fawad Khan debuted almost around the same time but he didn’t make an impact.
I feel by the time our movie comes out people will think that it’s Imran’s debut. In Creature 3D his role wasn’t that big so even in the promotions, he wasn’t around or promoted. Fawad had an equal part to Sonam in Khoobsurat, so he was marketed in that manner. I don’t think Imran got the same kind of opportunity.

You have to start from scratch in the film industry...
I have worked really hard the last two years trying to establish my online shopping business (Pernia Pop-up Shop). In the fashion industry, I feel like everyone knows me and there is a certain amount of respect I get. In films, I will have to prove myself. I am back to ground zero and will have to work twice as hard. There are so many people who have no idea who the hell I am, they are going to see me with a completely fresh perspective, my talent and acting is going to speak for me. I can’t trick people into liking me or fake anything. It’s all depends on how good I am.

What’s the one thing you have that your contemporaries don’t?
I think being a professional dancer works in my favour because I don’t think there is any other actress in my generation who is fully-trained in any forms of classical dance. People take classes but that’s not called professional dancing.

Sonam feels the general perception of an actress in India is that if an actor dresses well, she isn’t much of an actor. Agree?
Oh Sonam! (Giggles) I don’t fear this at all because I feel if you convince somebody who is watching your film that you are that character, you have done your job. If I can convince you for those two hours while you are watching the film that I am Noor, a courtesan, and if I can make you forget that I own a shop or I go to fashion shows in Paris... I’ve done my job. If I can’t then I have to improve, that is what I feel.

One actor you wish to work with?
Salman Khan! That would be like a dream! A film with him where I can be totally filmi! I don’t think my decision to work in a film would depend so much on the actor as on the film. Unless it is Salman, then I would do anything! Sonam will tell you this, there is a really filmi side to me, I am a big Bollywood buff, my favourite movie is Hum Saath Saath Hain. Salman is like a filmi heroine’s dream!

An actress who is a complete package?
Sonakshi Sinha can be extremely demure. You can strip her off her make-up and make her be completely real and she can handle it. She can be totally glamourous as well.

Do you think the same about her style as well?
Not as much. But I believe that when you are an actress it is not your responsibility to be extremely stylish. That is not a must because your job is to convince the audience about whatever part you are playing. Style is an added bonus not a pre-requisite. Fashion police is just mean, don’t put so much pressure on these girls, they are here to act and entertain.

Pernia Qureshi plays a courtesan in Muzaffar Ali's upcoming period drama which bears a striking resemblance to Umrao Jaan
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 14, 2015)

In Muzaffar Ali's upcoming film Jaanisaar, stylist Pernia Qureshi, who designed Sonam Kapoor's look in Aisha, debuts as an actress. She's playing a courtesan in the pre-Independence drama set in the 1870s.

That was the setting of Muzaffar Ali's 1981 film Umrao Jaan too. Pernia says her film is similar the Rekha-Farooque Shaikh starrer in vibe, but is not a remake or a sequel. "It's a new film set in a similar milieu," she says, adding that while Rekha's Amiran had a quiet demeanour and an air of mystery, her temptress, Noor, is outspoken and progressive. "The film is a historic drama revolving around our freedom struggle."

Dismissing similarities with Rekha and Aishwarya Rai's characters in Umrao Jaan and its remake, Pernia says, "I'm prepared for comparisons, they are inevitable, but I'm not copying them. My character is diametrically opposite to theirs. Yes, she's a courtesan too but she's more vivacious than coy. Muzaffar sir portrays his women characters sensitively which is why it's a privilege to debut in a film directed by him."

Did the stylist in her crop up while she was acting? "There was no need. Not even a strand of my hair was out of place in a single shot!" she exclaims. "Muzaffar is such a perfectionist that right from the cat, an extra, to the fabric of the curtains, everything was exquisitely designed and filmed by a cinematographer flown down from Italy. The film looks gorgeous."

However, she is yet to show the rushes to her friends or family. "We should be able to present it by the end of this month. I'm quite anxious about the responses!" she admits.

What next? "I don't think I'm even in the mind of any filmmaker as they haven't seen me act yet," she says candidly. "Only after Jaanisar releases will I know where I stand as a performer!"