Priyanka Chopra says, she has broken free of the glam doll image and joined the league of Bollywood stars who can perform.

"It's so difficult to make that transition when you're perceived to be glamorous... Even a glamorous role should be performance-oriented," Priyanka said in an interview with IANS.

After the success of "Aitraaz", for which she received the Filmfare best villain award, Priyanka assures a string of interesting performances in her forthcoming films.

She also promises an ad blitz. "I'll be seen in ads very shortly. I guess they were waiting to rope me in after I was successful," Priyanka says.

But it's singing that Priyanka craves for. "That's my first love," she says.

Q: Suddenly you're so hot!
A: That's good, isn't it?

Q: Are you proud of being designated the best villain?
A: As long as I'm the best I don't mind. I was competing for the baddie's sweepstakes with Abhishek Bachchan, Ajay Devgan and John Abraham. I'm very grateful that I was accepted as an actress rather than a man-eater.

The character's sensuality came from little details that I worked out with the director. There were lots of arguments. I wanted the character to go one way. I didn't want to be part of a character that seemed undignified. Finally we worked out a compromise. She (the character) wasn't entirely the way I wanted her to be.

Q: She's very predatory?
A: Yeah, I wanted her to be like Sharon Stone in "Basic Instinct" or Demi Moore in "Disclosure", or Catherine Zeta-Jones in "Chicago". I did a lot of research on how women in charge behave. I was very scared. It took me a month to decide whether I wanted to do the role, and when I did I had to decide how to do it.

Q: Like?
A: In "Yakeen", I play a psychotic housewife. There's "Waqt" in which I am very much a part of the father-son conflict between Amitabh Bachchan and Akshay Kumar. In Suneel Darshan's "Barsaat" I play a small town girl for the first time. I've always been selective. I failed commercially in my earlier films because I was too inexperienced.

Q: Do you think you can carry off something like Rani Mukherjee's role in "Black"?
A: I don't know. It's one of the most awesome characters I've seen in films. There are two categories of actors. The trained ones like Karisma and the untrained ones like Kajol. And they're both equally competent. I don't know where I belong. I don't know whether I can pull off a "Black". Maybe I'm not experienced enough. But I do know I'll work hard on it.

Q: Do you think your perception within the industry has changed?
A: They've started seeing me as an actress rather than a glam doll. I'm grateful for that! It's so difficult to make that transition when you're perceived to be glamorous.

I now have to be careful. This year I'm working in just two to three films. I want to focus on one film at a time. Even a glamorous role should be performance-oriented. You just have to make the right decisions. Beyond that I'm still considering other offers. I don't want to do a bunch of films that don't excite me.

Q: Have you raised your price?

A: I do films for creative satisfaction. I do stage concerts and ads for money. I'll be seen in ads very shortly. I guess they were waiting to rope me in after I was successful.

Q: As long as you aren't selling gutka or nuclear bombs!
A: Ha, never! I'm a socially responsible citizen.

Q: And Lara Dutta?
A: What about her? We're unnecessarily pitched against one another. I think Lara is a very hardworking girl. I've always looked up to her. I was just 17 when I was Miss India, I was a complete babe in the woods. She helped me a lot with my makeup and clothes.

Q: And now you can advise other girls on their looks.
A: My advice is to not wear make-up and lots of clothes, ha ha.

Q: Any burning ambitions?
A: To be a singer. That's my first love. Everyone thinks "Tinka tinka" in "Karam" is sung by me. Alisha sounds so much like me. I used to be a big fan of hers. And today she has sung for me.

Q: Tell us about your Next Flick "Saat Khoon Maaf" ?

Playing wife to seven hubbies and bumping them all off one by one is a role we rarely see Bollywood actresses in. But Vishal Bharadwaj, always striving for a greater milestone, is making Priyanka Chopra do exactly that in his on-the-floors movie Saat Khoon Maaf.

While launching the denim brand Levi's Change your World campaign earlier this week, Priyanka told reporters: “It's too early to speak about Saat Khoon Maaf but it will be a very unique film for sure.”

The movie is based on Ruskin Bond's story Susanna's Seven Husbands. Priyanka even had to turn down an offer from Hollywood for this film.

“I can associate only with the film I am committed to and I was committed to Vishal Bharadwaj....” she said.