Esteemed India actor Priyanka Chopra, who began her career in Bollywood and is now a recognized name in Hollywood, recently shared insights about her professional journey at the Bridge Summit in Abu Dhabi.
She reflected on the early challenges of her career, including a string of six back-to-back flops.
Priyanka revealed, “It wasn’t that opportunities were presented to me; opportunities were taken away from me. Therefore, I had to pivot. There was a year when six of my films flopped consecutively. It was like, ‘Oh my God, we shouldn’t cast Priyanka because the film won’t do well.’ Because of this fear, I had to leave what I was comfortable with and try something new. My pivots were never about choice; they were a lot about survival.”
She also spoke about her early years in the industry, saying, “When I first started working, I said yes to everything because every opportunity felt like a privilege. I accepted every role, traveled constantly, and even missed key family milestones because refusing work did not feel like an option. Now, I say yes with intention. I weigh the pros and cons, consider the impact on my family, my sanity, and my long-term goals. That’s how you protect your crystal balls.”
After winning Miss World in 2000, Priyanka entered Bollywood with The Hero: Love Story of a Spy and rose to prominence with films such as Aitraaz, Fashion, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Don, and Krrish. She won the National Award for Best Actress for her role in Fashion and delivered hits including Bajirao Mastani, Mary Kom, and Barfi, earning critical acclaim and establishing herself as a leading actor without any industry backing.
Expanding her horizons, Priyanka made history as the first South Asian woman to headline an American network drama with Quantico. She later appeared in Hollywood films like Baywatch, The White Tiger, Love Again, and The Matrix Resurrections, while also producing films under her banner Purple Pebble Pictures, cementing her status as a global star.
Priyanka Chopra is set to return to Indian cinema with S.S. Rajamouli’s upcoming film Varanasi, co-starring Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran, scheduled for release during Sankranti 2027. She is also preparing for the second season of the American spy-action series Citadel, further expanding her international footprint.
