Gerry is a good friend: Priyanka

When Bollywood A-lister Priyanka Chopra was in high school, she had a soul-encompassing crush on the most popular guy in her class. Unfortunately, it was a one-way street and P.C. (as she is lovingly called by her current secretary) had to make peace with royal rejection. She was 13 at that time.

Now she is 27 and has Hollywood hunks like Gerard Butler flying across the Atlantic and dropping to his knee to propose marriage. With a stellar career under her swanky belt, Chopra's geek-to-gorgeous transformation is what most dream chick flicks are made of.

"I was an absolute geek in school; a wallflower of the worst kind. I don't think boys even bothered to give me a second glance. I was shy, an introvert and I wore baggy clothes. I did not even know how to take care of myself," says Chopra over the telephone from Bangkok.

But Bollywood's most eligible bachelorette is not willing to be carried away by her fairytale reversal of fortune. According to the Dostana star, she is not easily charmed - even if it has heartthrob Butler (who is rumoured to have dated Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz and Naomi Campbell) in the lead.

"There is nothing flattering about him [Gerard Butler] coming down to India to meet me. He is my good friend and I am not comfortable discussing my friendships - private, romance or otherwise - in public."

The two hit it off when they met at the extravagant bash to celebrate the opening of Atlantis in November last year.

Of late, her newly single-ready-to-mingle status has been dissected in great detail. If reports are to be believed, the former Miss World is being showered with attention from both P.S. I Love You actor Gerard Butler - or Gerry as the actress affectionately calls him - and Jab We Met actor Shahid Kapur.

The former even convinced her to enjoy a meal with Slumdog Millionaire's child actors at a posh hotel in Mumbai while on his trip to India.

"The lunch was Gerry's idea. Although I have met them before it felt good to hang out with Rubiana and other kids. They were so unaffected by our presence. It felt good to watch them behave like typical children," says Chopra.

But don't mistake her soppy sentiments for budding maternal instincts. The actress has been working round- the-clock since her last face-to-face interview with tabloid! Chopra visited Dubai fleetingly for the premiere of Fashion, a movie which exposed the sordid side of the modelling industry.

"I have not taken a holiday in six years and I don't intend to take one for a long time. I am happiest when at work."

The self-confessed workaholic was also recently admitted to hospital after she fainted during a shoot. Exhaustion was said to be the reason behind her swooning spell.

Incidentally, our phone conversation was dotted with sincere apologies for her voice that kept cracking up - thanks to a sore throat and a flu she contracted while shooting for her next venture, Pyaar Impossible.

The film is said to be loosely based on the Hollywood hit Notting Hill - Chopra plays the role of an unattainable glamazon while Uday Chopra (they are not related) is the geek who falls in love with her.

"I was shooting till four in the morning and I was back on the sets at 7am to shoot scenes again. Everybody keeps telling me that I am missing a lot on life if I work like this. But I don't get it."

She has more than three films, including Kaminey, What's Your Rashee and Pyaar Impossible, slated to be released this year.

"Last year was phenomenal and I swept almost all the major awards. There is something satisfying about being unanimously appreciated. I am hoping this year is as good."

Although she prides herself in being a work horse, there are some roles she would not touch. Putting on weight - even if it's for a meaty role directed by hit filmmaker Siddharth Anand- is not on her agenda.

"The script required me to put on 25 kilos. I even consulted a doctor before rejecting the role. I was told I would have to inject hormones for such a drastic weight gain. There was no way I was going to put my body through it."

Barring tampering with her body, Chopra is game for everything else.

"The feeling of coming back to my hotel room dead tired after a hard day's work is the best feeling on earth. I love it."