Multi-faceted personality and globally-recognised talent, Priyanka Chopra has broken many glass ceilings and consistently encourages women to find their voice.
By Nichola Marie
Child of Indian Army physicians, Priyanka Chopra spent a good deal of her growing years putting down temporary roots in different parts of the country. Studying in the USA from age 13, she found out all too early how it felt to have the ‘wrong’ skin tone. Cut to 2000, when she was crowned Miss World… The once-gawky girl – mocked for her legs bearing “white marks” – would go on to have the last laugh: “Today, my legs sell 12 brands.”
Her career as a Hindi film actress saw her gradually garner a stash of awards for films like ‘Andaaz’, ‘Fashion’, ‘Aitraaz’, ‘7 Khoon Maaf’, and ‘Bajirao Mastani’. Making the big leap to the West, she debuted with the American thriller series ‘Quantico’ in 2015, where she was praised for her “dynamic screen presence.” She has gone on to star in Hollywood films such as ‘Baywatch’, ‘Isn’t It Romantic’, and ‘The White Tiger’. Even the naysayers had to admit the girl had gumption.
Resilience Redefined
Her glowing report card, however, has not written itself – Chopra has had to learn, unlearn, and relearn much in the journey of career and life. The defining factor, as she explains, is that she is “damn hard-working”. Whether facing rejection or failure, she has resiliently overcome challenges including “being cornered” by “certain cliques” in Bollywood, or facing rejection in Hollywood. Today, married to pop star Nick Jonas, and mother to Malti Marie, and with thriving business interests as well, she’s living the dream life. But taking it easy is a no-no. “If you don’t take chances, if you don’t push yourself to do things that make you uncomfortable, you never evolve.”
Supporting Change
Chopra has consistently used her platform to support causes close to her heart. Passionate about children’s rights, she is a global UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and United Nations Foundation Girl Up Champion. Her nonprofit The Priyanka Chopra Foundation for Health and Education provides schooling and medical care. A “big champion of women who take their destinies into their own hands,” she believes it is alright to be a fierce female achiever and yet be vulnerable. She would know.
