A bird that has broken the cage of the past, and now carries on its wings only the wishes of the future – thus Priyanka Chopra Jones Sees himself. And might we add, the future looks promising. The actor is less than 10 days away from the release of Citadel, the marquee Amazon Prime Video series fronted by Richard Madden and himself, and backed by the Russo Brothers. But it has not been an easy journey from Bareilly to Bollywood and finally, to the big stage of Hollywood.
Chopra may remember every detail of what he has been through in his 20-year film career, but the superstar has neither the time nor the inclination to ruminate on them. “I don’t live in the past. I love making peace, and being in peace. The more we live in the past and wonder what happened then and who did it [what] I, the [more we] There is no time to make room for the future,” begins the actor.
A still from the Citadel
Recently, his Bollywood journey has become a topic of discussion. On an international podcast last month, Chopra mentioned that he was “cornered” in the Hindi film industry years ago, and that his “beef” with people led to lost opportunities. He indicated that at the time, his Hollywood career was born out of survival instincts.
His determination to live life on his own terms and pursue his dreams has become an integral part of his personality. Mention it to her, and she attributes it to a life lesson her late father Ashok Chopra imparted to her early on.
A lot of what I do is intentional. I don’t carry luggage, because then you can’t fly. I want to be a bird, and explore this wonderful life. I am blessed to have these opportunities, my family, friends and people I work with, and the ability to do my job well. I am blessed that my brain works a certain way, and that my parents raised me with values. So, I focus on wanting to fly because when I was little, my dad told me, ‘I’ll never put you in a cage. You will fly as high as you want.’ I want to make him proud.”
But here’s the thing about climbing high – success and fame bring with them pressure and danger. As one of Indian cinema’s most successful exports to Hollywood, Chopra showcases not only her own talents, but India’s potential for the West. Does carrying the hopes of the country sometimes feel heavy on his slender shoulders? “It has become bigger than me. It’s no longer just about me as a person; They see me as something bigger than a woman. I believe there is a lot of scrutiny, maybe because I am one of the very few people in Hollywood who are from India.
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A few weeks ago he was slammed by Indian fans for making the wrong call R.R.R A Tamil film – one of many instances of scrutiny on him. “People try to find fault with anything I do. I think people enjoy it a little bit. I used to be a lot more independent, but now, I’m a little more careful because I have my family to think about. The higher you go in life, the more people find reasons to fall for you. But at the same time, I’ve got a lot of love and support from my family, friends and fans. I like to focus on that.’ ‘
