Priyanka Chopra - Capturing Hearts Around The World
Two words come to mind when describing Priyanka Chopra—driven and focused. With 52 films under her belt, the recipient of countless acting awards is one of the world’s most accomplished performers. She speaks confidently about the start of her acting career, when she began a streak of remarkable performances that caused peers and fans alike to stand up and take notice. Once, she even played the role of a disabled girl when everyone told her not to, and won critical acclaim for doing so. She faced naysayers who told her that balancing a successful acting career and music career couldn’t be done, and yet her single with Pitbull hit 32-million views on YouTube alone and went Platinum in India.
She has reached a level of success that most don’t achieve in their lifetime. It all began with Priyanka Chopra winning Miss World at age 17. She beams as she discusses receiving the best actress award by the President of her country, just 3 short years into her acting career. With great pride, Chopra acknowledges her excitement at furthering diversity as the first Indian person to head the iconic Guess by Marciano ad campaign. Extremely grounded and smart, she recites a quote: “Failure in not an option.” She remembers reading it very early on in her career. “I am very hardworking and very competitive not to mention, an extremely sore loser.” With that in mind, Chopra strives for nothing less than excellence in everything she does. Check out our very intimate discussion with one of the world’s rising stars.
RAINE: You appear in the upcoming biopic of Olympian boxer Mary Kom. What would you say has been the most rewarding aspect of preparing for this unique role?
CHOPRA: At the moment, I'm training 6 hours a day; I’m exhausted. The reward will come once people watch the movie. This story is about every girl out there that is saying: “I'm not going to be limited.” Mary is a daughter of a rice farmer who went on to be a 5-time world champion. She is a mother of 3, an Olympian, and the winner of national awards from the President. The amazing thing is, she is just 33 years old! She went against all odds. It’s not just a story based on her life—it’s for me, for you, and for every girl out there; I want everyone to [experience] the feeling of not giving up.
RAINE: What are you most excited about in regard to your latest project with Director, Zoya Akhtar?
CHOPRA: I’m most excited about spending 2 1/2 months on an exotic cruise. It’s going to be the complete opposite of what I’ve done. I am always looking for films that inspire me and that only happens when I am being challenged.
RAINE: Beyond Bollywood, what aspirations do you have for Hollywood?
CHOPRA: I am an entertainer; I just want to be the best at what I do. If it means [I go to] Hollywood, [make] music, and/or work with the best in the business, then I will do it. I treat my work like art—I treat it as a very spiritual experience.
RAINE: Regarding your bucket list, what director would you like to work with most in Hollywood?
CHOPRA: James Cameron. I LOVE big movies that are artistic and have drama; they are almost like a painting. I love filmmakers that create art; it’s art that everyone in the world wants to sit up and watch.
RAINE: Does being a celebrity prevent you from doing something you really like?
CHOPRA: No! I do everything I want—I just hide it really well. I’ve been in the public eye since I was 17, so I’ve learned how to keep what's personal to me personal.
RAINE: What are some things that you can't leave the house without?
CHOPRA: Number one, my cell. Number two, my bag; it weighs about 20 pounds and has my makeup, camera, Band-Aids, and—since I'm a geek and LOVE technology—it also has my iPad, and everything else. Number three, my confidence; I never leave home without it!
RAINE: What is your most embarrassing moment on set of a film or video?
CHOPRA: I’m an inherently shy person [and] I’m really great at covering those up. Once, I was performing on stage and wearing leather pants—they split right in the middle.
RAINE: Rapid Fire Questions. You have 10 seconds to answer each.
RAINE: Coke or Pepsi?
CHOPRA: Pepsi
RAINE: Ralph Lauren or Gucci?
CHOPRA: Gucci
RAINE: Red or Purple?
CHOPRA: Red
RAINE: St Tropez or Montego Bay?
CHOPRA: St Tropez
RAINE: Comedy or Mystery?
CHOPRA: Mystery
RAINE: NFL or NBA?
CHOPRA: NFL
RAINE: iPhone or Samsung?
CHOPRA: iPhone
RAINE: Painting or Photography?
CHOPRA: Photography
RAINE: Pizza or Sushi?
CHOPRA: Pizza—100 times over!