After showcasing her athletic side in the reality show Zor Ka Jhatka - Total Wipe Out hosted by Shah Rukh Khan, former Miss India Priyanka Shah is all set for her acting debut with the Hindi film I Love Desi. Releasing May 29, the film is a family drama in which Priyanka plays the role of a hoity-toity Punjabi NRI, who learns the value of her culture after getting married to an Indian.

The nuances of the spoilt yet sophisticated NRI came easy to her, says Priyanka, thanks to her background in fashion. An engineer in electronics and telecommunication from Pune, Priyanka was already dabbling in modelling when she decided to participate in Miss India in 2007, where she was placed in the top 10. Following that, she won the Miss Tourism 2007 international pageant and since then has modelled for some of the most well-renowned fashion designers and choreographers.

Talking about the film, Priyanka says, "I was apprehensive about the film initially as it stars a newcomer and has a relatively new team. I usually never end up doing films I want to, but this worked out well. For instance, I was called for look tests for Chak De but it didn't work out since I was a student. This movie came in an unexpected way. The makers didn't even disclose the script to me till they had signed me."

Even though she is now focused on a career in films and TV, this multi-faceted actress loves to model and indulge in sports too. "I was the former captain of the Indian netball team and also represented the country at the Asian Games. Right now though, acting is my priority. I have done another Bollywood film and am in talks for a few more projects, including TV."