Happily in love since her grand wedding to Nick Jonas in 2018, the Indian actress succeeds in everything she undertakes. Meet an accomplished woman.

 

 

Priyanka Chopra Jonas: I originally wanted to be an aeronautical engineer, but my love for film was stronger. The first film I did was successful. I won awards and made headlines, but to be honest, I knew nothing about this industry! I had never taken an acting class and had no one to tell me what I could and could not do. I was not prepared for the success, the fans, the business.

 

Some people still think that beauty queens are condemned to playing supporting roles in cinema…

 

 

It is precisely because of this perception that my beginnings were not easy! Every time I spoke about my artistic ambitions, I was told: “You are wasting your time, miss! You have no chance!” For years, as soon as I went somewhere, this reputation preceded me.

 

At the end of 2018, you married Nick Jonas. Has your lifestyle changed since then?

 

 

English and Hindi are my first languages, so I am lucky not to be limited in my choices. But rest assured, naans and curry are always served at my table! (Laughs.) Regarding my Anglo-Saxon lifestyle, I have obviously changed a lot through contact with my husband. But the reverse is also true: Nick has learned about my country, India, about my traditions, my culture.

 

“I hate parties. My priorities are my family, my friends, my work, the associations I work for.”

 

Do you remember your husband’s reaction the first time he saw you in a Bollywood film, the one from your early days?

 

I didn’t show him any. At the beginning of our relationship, we didn’t know anything about each other. We discovered each other as we went along. He watched Bollywood films on his own. I didn’t thrust them under his nose and say, “Look at Darling! It’s from my house!” (Laughs.) As for me, I took advantage of his absences to listen to his music.

 

What were your biggest challenges when you started in the United States?

 

I was very shy, to the point of blushing when someone complimented me! I worked a lot on that! But my biggest challenge was to get out of the Bollywood actress box that I had been put in! Many producers expected me to show up to auditions in a sari and with a nose stud! I had to explain to people that India is an amalgam of the East and the West and that it is a modern country! I am an Indian actress who can act in any production, but I do not want to be the ethnic alibi for projects.

 

What is your worst flaw?

 

I’m a control freak. I like to rule everything and I never leave room for improvisation!

 

Are you very spiritual?

 

No, even though I am Indian, I do not spend my days meditating. My only ritual is prayer every morning! I have a small temple that travels with me everywhere.

 

Do you think actresses of color have more opportunities than they did a few years ago?

 

It’s getting better! The role of Alex in Quantico , for example, was not written for an Indian woman, but for a Caucasian American. But there is still room for improvement. I remember auditioning for a movie and someone from the studio called one of my agents and said, “She’s not physically right.” I thought it was because of my weight. So I asked my agent if he thought I should lose weight. He finally admitted that the problem wasn’t my figure: the studio didn’t want someone with brown skin!

 

You also said that you had lightened your skin…

 

It was a long time ago. I was a teenager. I had no self-confidence. In India, there were lots of ads on TV saying, “Your skin will become lighter in a week.” So, I used these lightening creams! It was as I grew older that I started to realize that I should be proud of being a woman of color.

 

You seem pretty wise. You never let go?

 

I hate parties. I prefer conversations with friends over nice dinners. My priorities are my family, my friends, my work and the associations I am involved in.

 

You look very calm…

 

Yes and no. By nature, I like competition. I’m like the rabbit in the Energizer commercial. The one who never stops! My internal batteries last a very long time. And you don’t have to wind me up. I do it all by myself! (Laughs.)

 

What was the greatest challenge in your life?

 

Without a doubt, my father’s death in 2013, from cancer. He fought against this disease for ten years. We were very close. We even communicated sometimes without speaking. Today, I have this tattoo “Daddy’s lil girl”, the nickname he gave me and in his writing, on my wrist. It constantly makes me think of him. ¦