8 minute read
Priyanka Chopra
THE STAR
FROM AFAR
Priyanka Chopra reveals the strands that have woven together to form a brilliant career, and admits that despite success and happiness, self-doubt still remains.
When you’re the third most-followed actress on Twitter, with 27 million global followers, your presence online comes with a certain level of responsibility. Fans hang on your every word, charitable initiatives can accelerate beyond all comprehension at a mere hint of approval, while politically, our A-list influencers, by their own admission, hold far too much sway.
Social media is a world in which connectivity is greater than ever before, and when managed well, it’s a very useful thing. “I was one of the first to really embrace Twitter and this new form of communication because I could see the benefits from both sides,” says Bollywood/Hollywood icon, Priyanka Chopra. “My values as a person mean I always want to interact with people and share this incredible passion we all have for entertainment and drama, and I could see there was a real two-way street suddenly available for being able to do that.”
“At the same time, I also realised the benefits of opening up and being less aloof. I felt, as an industry, we needed to do that… we needed to come back down to earth a bit, and I believe we’ve achieved that.” Certainly, the film industry’s various internal crises – played out very publicly – have led it to reconsider its lofty position. From #metoo scandals to equality and diversity disputes, through to distributors’ very public worries over finance in the wake of the Covid pandemic, Tinseltown’s preening and posturing has come down a rung or two… not that Priyanka ever wanted to be part of that set, as her early adoption of social media proves.
“As a child, I was taught that whatever you do and whoever you are, you have to show humility whenever possible,” she says. “India treats its celebrities like Gods, and I felt that to be quite uncomfortable.”
“When I moved into Western film [Priyanka landed the lead role on the hit American Fox TV series Quantico in 2015, having already been a major star in her native India] the media attention went up another level, but I did sense there was a more controlled degree of fan appreciation, and I think I needed that, because to keep my career in India would have been quite suffocating.”
As a now instantly recognisable star of box office hits across both Bollywood and Hollywood – thanks in no small part to films such as Baywatch, A Kid Like Jake, We Can Be Heroes, Isn’t It Romantic and The Matrix Resurrections, Priyanka can strike a sensible balance between the glitz, glamour and escapism of LA on one side, and on the other, the pride she retains for her Asian roots.
“They are not worlds that you feel would instantly connect, but I am proud of my traditions and my heritage in India, as well as excited about what I can go on to achieve in the global cinema market,” she says. “Naturally I feel very proud to have been able to cross over between the two, as that is not something that is done too frequently.
“It certainly makes me happy to be able to show people my Indian background and to share that world with others.”
As a result, sitting down with the actress, singer, film producer and philanthropist is a serene, relaxed and respectful experience. Sure, she may live in LA with musician husband Nick Jonas, with the couple having just announced the birth of their first child through a surrogate – their baby girl arrived in the middle of January, some 12 weeks early – yet beyond the stardom and wealth exists someone still very much centred in religion, philanthropy and, of course, family. ›
“I think it comes down to always remembering where you’ve come from,” she says. “I had a very passionate and proud upbringing, and my ambition has never taken me away from those ideals.”
“My parents and family have always been so supportive of me, and it’s always been in me to be ambitious, but identity is so important too and I have so much admiration and respect for people in this industry who are able to hold on to the fabric of who they are.”
Praise for Priyanka, who celebrates her 40th birthday in July, comes from all quarters. Baywatch co-star Dwayne Johnson said of the actress: “I’ve been in the business a long time and I’ve worked with a lot of stars, and only a handful are as driven and as sharply focused and ambitious as Priyanka. It’s intoxicating – you want to be around it because it inspires you and pushes you.”
In fact, the actress’s willingness to step outside of her comfort zone has left her with a filmography that patterns huge successes with, by her own admission, catastrophic failures… not that she minds.
“I’ve always understood the unpredictability of this business and I try not to take it too seriously. I’ve been through many highs and lows over the years and have learnt you must be ready to overcome your failures and make the most of whatever opportunities come your way. That’s all I’m trying to do.”
As far as the immediate landscape stands, Priyanka’s focus is clearly on enjoying those precious early weeks and months with her child. Sources suggest the couple’s route to get to this point has been complicated and, at times, painful, and in preparation for her arrival, the star has been wrapping up various work commitments so she can approach 2022 with an absolute focus on her baby girl.
Certainly, the Amazonbroadcast Citadel, which is set for launch in April, is in the can. The sci-fi spy thriller is expected to give the actress one of her biggest hits yet – she stars alongside Richard Madden and Stanley Tucci in what is a compelling and evolving drama that leads out the channel’s spring activity.
Movie Text for You is also completed. The feelgood British film stars the likes of Celine Dion, Sam Heughan, Russell Tovey, Omid Djalili and Celia Imrie, and again patterns Priyanka’s desire to mix up the entertainment industry’s various genres.
“I think that desire to choose very different projects comes from the way I was raised,” she says. “There were influences clashing all over the place, and it gave me a passion to try them all!”
The star grew up in India where she was raised by her parents “As women, we are constantly nervous about our appearance. We’re never really 100% happy with our looks, but the best advice I ever had was to accept myself first and foremost, then look at my flaws not as weaknesses, but as things that make me unique. Approval should never come from others – it must start from within”
Ashok and Madhu Chopra, both doctors, with both Hindi and English spoken at home. She spent most of her teenage years in Boston where she went to high school and was initially interested in becoming a software engineer before winning the Miss World title in 2000, setting her on course to becoming one of Bollywood’s top female film stars. ›
In 2015, she became the first actress of Indian descent to play the lead in an American TV series, taking on the character Alex Parrish in Quantico. The role earned her the 2016 People’s Choice Award for Favourite Actress in a New TV Series and led to her becoming a brand ambassador for Pantene shampoo. “I think I have been lucky how things have fallen,” she says, modestly. “Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don’t, but nothing comes without effort, and that’s something I’ve always invested into my auditions and projects. The very first and most crucial step is to show you care and have determination.” For someone who receives praise from all quarters no matter what she does, it is perhaps surprising to hear that Priyanka has a very reserved opinion when it comes to her looks. “I was never of the opinion that I was beautiful as a child, and I don’t think that way about myself now,” she says with absolute conviction. “What I will say though is I believe that you can teach yourself to be the best version of yourself over time, and that’s what I have tried to do.” “As women, we are constantly nervous about our appearance. We’re never really 100% happy with our looks, but the best advice I ever had was to accept myself first and foremost, then look at my flaws not as weaknesses, but as things that make me unique.” “Approval should never come from others – it must start from within.” Try telling that to 27 million Twitter followers! e
