Q. You recently received an award for the best short film. How was your experience regarding that?
A. Yes, I received that award for the short film “A Silent Escape,” directed by “Yogi Devgan,” who came from Australia just to direct this film. The story is about child trafficking. I said yes to this project after listening to the whole story. The movie is not released yet, but I wish it could be released on Netflix. You know, we shot that film in just 4 to 5 days. It was a very hectic schedule as another shoot was going on so, on the fourth day, we shot for a full day, and we packed up on another morning at 6:00 AM, and then the car from another shoot came to receive me. So, it was a very hectic but a great shoot.
Q. How were your childhood days? Where did you spend most of your childhood?
A. I was a very notorious child from my early days, not only me, but my elder sister was also very notorious, and my brother was very sweet and simple. When we came back to Chandigarh, I used to bunk my classes a lot, and my sister used to save me from my mother. I am a middle child in my family; I have an elder sister and my younger brother who is now settled in Canada. Actually, I belong to an army family, and my father is retired as a major, so he used to get transferred from one place to another. I was born in Chandigarh, then we shifted to Ambala, then Patiala and then back to Chandigarh. I spent six years in Patiala. So, I came back to Chandigarh and joined “Kendriya Vidyalaya” during my eleventh and twelfth grade.
Q. What were your thoughts regarding your career when you were in school or college?
A. I was very particular during that time that I want to join forces and become a police officer because my father is retired in the army, so I used to love the uniform. We used to go daily for training for Punjab Police or Chandigarh Police. We used to love going to the ground for training; it was very healthy and energetic for us to go for a run daily. I used to practice high jump and long jump from my school time, but you know what, it was not in my destiny, and also, I got fewer marks in exams for joining the police. Then I got selected in Chandigarh Police trials, but I was not prepared for the written exam, so I dropped it as I was also having a shoot on that day, and also it was my first music video as a lead actress.
Q. How did you decide to choose acting and music videos as your career?
A. Actually, one of my known suggested to me that you have nice features; you must try theatre. Theatre was a whole new thing about what I have never thought. I joined but I was not able to stretch it for a long period due to some circumstances. I always wanted to perform on stage, and I have seen that the theatres in Chandigarh and Amritsar are the best for theatre experience. I wish if I get a chance to perform after my shoot, I would definitely like to perform. Then my first song was “Mere Wala Sardar”; it was one of the most-liked songs and it was super hit. This song further created a lot of opportunities for me in the future.
Q. How was your experience shooting that song and how was your chemistry with “Jugraj Sandhu?”
A.It was a great experience shooting that song. Actually, that song was already trending on “Tik Tok”, so I got a call regarding this music video. We shot the song in Jandiala near Amritsar. The music video came out very beautifully. It looks like a wedding shoot of a young couple who got married at a very early age. The chemistry was so good that we shot three to four more songs with each other, and we became very good friends since the second song. Overall, it was a wonderful experience.
You know there is a belief that if you are doing a lot of music videos in Punjab, especially, then it will be difficult for you to get another acting project. What is your take on this?
I think it all depends upon an individual’s perspective, but personally I don’t think that. You know, there are people in the industry who think that if a person is doing Punjabi serials, they will not get a chance to appear on the bigger screen, but it’s not like that. They don’t understand that music videos, serials, and movies are different things, whatever you do in the serials the same intensity and seriousness are required in films. Many actors in the industry started from television, and you know, doing television is more difficult than doing movies. It’s a whole process daily; you have to learn the script of four to five pages. Being an artist, it is our duty how we prepare ourselves for whatever project we are getting. So, it depends upon the person how he gels with the situation.
Q. What are your plans about shifting to Bombay?
A. I went once in the tenth grade, but not after that. I want to go but due to my busy schedule of my shoots I am not able to go. It might happen in January as my short film is nominated for “Dadasaheb Phalke Awards” so let’s see how it goes. Being in Punjab, I have never felt a lack of work, I have gotten projects at regular intervals, but yes Bombay is a whole different world one should go. Yes, I would love to go for work if I get an opportunity, but now many production houses are coming to Punjab for their shoots.
Q. How is work, what are you shooting currently?
A. Work is good; currently, I am shooting for a serial “Geet Dholi” as a lead actress. People like the character of Geet, sometimes they are confused as they call me by the name of my character, and I have to correct them. I am blessed that fans are liking the show and my character. Recently, I visited Dubai and I have to correct them that I am Preet not Geet. My parents are feeling proud that their daughter is doing something good that people love so much. It feels good that after doing so much hard work people know my parents by my name.
Q. In the early days what were your go-to places in Chandigarh for snacking?
A. I did my college from Punjab University, so I used to go to sector – 35 a lot for eating. I never had a particular food joint, but yes in sector 46 there is a place called “Sodhi Zaika” I used to love “Rajma Chawal” of that place. We used to love “prantha” and chutney near the bus stop of sector – 46 at a price of just ten rupees. I love exploring small food joints as compared to expensive restaurants.
Q. What is next on your bucket list, what do you want to do next?
A. I love experiencing new roles; every artist wishes to live each and every character they get, so I want to experience everything, but I don’t think much, and I am a person who goes with the flow. If I talk about traveling, I recently visited Dubai for the second time.
I went there to receive the award. I have also been to Malaysia. In India, I have travelled a lot; I went to Hyderabad for the music video, and that city is very beautiful. Food there is very spicy, and people in that city love eating rice a lot. I love south Indian food a lot, but I eat very less spicy, so it was a bit of a problem. I wish to visit Kerela and Chennai, basically, I want to cover the whole South India so, I can say that I love travelling and will wish to travel more whenever I get an opportunity.
