The 42-year-old actress is a recipient of several accolades, including two National Film Awards and five Filmfare Awards.
"Priyanka Chopra is the best actress in the post-Sridevi generation." - Subhash K. Jha (Film Critic)
What's the limit? Priyanka Chopra does not have any, not even the sky! She burst onto the scene at a very young age and went on to go from strength to strength throughout her career. She won Bollywood effortlessly, delivering numerous exemplary performances, and breaking barriers (given the industry is mostly male-dominated) as well as setting new standards for others. And then she went international and conquered that with the same grace, emerging as a force to be reckoned with. Now, she stands tall as a global phenomenon with a solid fan base in every corner of the world. Besides acting, she is also successful as a singer, television host, and entrepreneur.
It wouldn't be even an iota of an exaggeration to say that Chopra is one of the world's most influential figures today. She was included in Verve's list of the most powerful Indian women in 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, and 2016. In 2015, she was named one of the most intriguing people in the world by People. And in 2016, she was included in TIME's list of 100 Most Influential People in the World.
The actress's journey, both personal and professional, is quite well-documented. However, today, on the occasion of her 42nd birthday, let's learn an interesting fact about her that many are unaware of.
Yes, you read it absolutely right! Chopra made her acting debut with a Tamil film and not Bollywood. And you would be surprised to know that she starred opposite Ilayathalapathy Vijay in her debut venture. That was right after she was crowned Miss World.
It's the 2002 film 'Thamizhan', helmed by debutant Majith. The actress played the role of Priya, the love interest of Vijay's character, Surya. It'sher first as well as the last work in Tamil cinema.
Priyanka Chopra and Vijay in a still from 'Thamizhan'
Notably, the actress made her Bollywood debut a year later with 'The Hero: Love Story of a Spy'. The rest, as they say, is history!
After winning the Miss World Crown, it was raining film offers for Priyanka Chopra. However, at that time, she didn't want to pursue a career in acting and said ‘no’ to several films.
Years later, her mother Madhu Chopra shared in an interview how she had convinced her daughter to sign 'Thamizhan'. In her words, "Priyanka didn’t want to star in films. She got the offer for the South Indian film through somebody. When I told Priyanka about the offer, she was in tears, she said, ‘I am not doing films.’ But she has always been an obedient child. When I told her to accept the offer, she agreed and signed the contract (for Thamizhan)."
Priyanka Chopra with her mom Madhu Chopra
"When she was shooting for the film, she began to like it. Despite not knowing the language, she enjoyed it. The team helped her and treated her with a lot of respect. Vijay starred in the film; he is a perfect gentleman. Raju Sundaram was the choreographer. In dance, Priyanka was okay, but she couldn’t initially match steps with Vijay. She would practice with the choreographer from morning to evening. Then she started enjoying it. This also helped her build her character and realize that she wanted to pursue this as a career," she added.
Priyanka Chopra has come a long way, and her journey is an inspiration for every dreamer out there. On her birthday, we extend our best wishes to her for all her upcoming endeavors!
