- Priyanka Chopra debuted opposite Vijay in the Tamil film Thamizhan after winning Miss World at 18
- She began her Hindi film career with Sunny Deol's The Hero: Love Story of a Spy
- Chopra left Bollywood at her career peak to seek more Indian representation in Hollywood
Priyanka Chopra made her debut opposite Vijay in the Tamil film Thamizhan after winning the coveted Miss World crown at the age of 18. She began her journey in the Hindi film industry with Sunny Deol's The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. After a successful, more-than-a-decade-long career, the actress took a leap of faith and started from scratch in Hollywood.
In a recent interview, the actress shared why she made the bold decision to leave the Hindi film industry at the peak of her career.
Asked if she was going through a rough phase in Bollywood, the Barfi! actress said she doesn't like staying in shit.
"Nothing is an easy ride. We all have battles we deal with. I'm just someone who doesn't like staying in the shit because then you get used to the smell," she said on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast.
"I believe strongly in pivoting. When life gets tough, we have the ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, take a moment to grieve and feel the pain—and then pivot. I have done that many times in my career," she added.
She also said she didn't have a clear path in mind when she took the plunge.
"There wasn't much of a precedent before me. I just gave it a shot. The only thing I knew was that I'm a hard worker and I know my craft. Put me on a set with any filmmaker or co-actor and I'll stand toe-to-toe. So I went out there and started working," said Priyanka.
Citing the examples of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Mindy Kaling, Priyanka said she wanted more Indian representation on the global stage when she decided to leave Bollywood.
"In American pop culture, I had only seen people like Mindy Kaling and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. There were very few Indian female or even male actors working in Hollywood. I wanted to understand why we didn't have that kind of representation," Priyanka recalled.
The thought pushed her to explore new opportunities. "It made me think about where I stood and where I should begin. It came from a need to expand and see what the possibilities were. And like I said, I am competitive," she said.
Priyanka Chopra's Recent Films
Priyanka Chopra was last seen in the Hindi film The Sky Is Pink (2019). She will make a blockbuster comeback with Mahesh Babu in SS Rajamouli's pan-India film Varanasi (2027).
In recent times, she has also ventured into film production. She has appeared in films like Love Again, Tiger (2023), Heads of State (2025), and The Bluff (2026).