By Arjun Bhagat
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has emerged as India’s biggest woman global star. She has come of age like no Indian actor, male or female, when it comes to Hollywood. In her latest role Priyanka plays - Nadia Sinh in the spy thriller web series Citadel. A production budget of a whopping US$300 million, the six-episode first season ranks as one of the most expensive television shows in history. And her performance as the enigmatic super spy and action hero is stunning–can even knock the daylights out of a dozen navy seals in about 5 minutes! The case in point is the intense fighting and shooting sequence in episode 4.
“Damn! Thank you so much to everyone who is watching… Citadel is @PrimeVideo’s NUMBER ONE title in nearly 200 countries and territories,” she informs. That indeed is damn good. And, I’d stick my neck out to say Priyanka has replaced Angelina Jolie, and is perhaps neck and neck with Claire Danes who plays the protagonist Carrie Anne Mathison in the drama and thriller series Homeland–as the best when it comes to screen presence as a full-fledged action heroine! There are some big names in the star cast of Citadel-Richard Madden as Mason Kane who is also the male lead and naturally the love interest of Nadia, Stanley Tucci plays Bernard Orlicek, Lesley Manville as Dahlia Archer, Osy Ikhile as Carter Spence, Ashleigh Cummings as Abby Conroy and the list goes on….But Priyanka stands out not only for her effortless one liners throughout the series (I extend my compliments to the scriptwriters), the action sequences are very good but the way she portrays emotional vulnerabilities and her quest to seek for answers is admirable.
And this success is because of the difficult choices Priyanka made that entailed risks. She has taken to reinvent herself from Bollywood's glamour girl to a global star–it’s a metamorphosis that’s taken over a decade to culminate. Remember Baywatch? Well Priyanka didn’t really make much of an impression at that time. Her body language was awkward in the swimsuits– and not to talk of her fairly atrocious American accent. But all that is well in the past, what’s pretty clear now is she didn’t want to be a fluttering butterfly in a male-centric Bollywood doing the kind of roles she played initially like in the Shahrukh Khan starrer Don, where she’s there to add glamour coefficient to the life of an overhyped gangster. A much grander destiny awaits her, Citadel is just another example.
She is the cover girl of many glamour magazines, the latest being on the Global cover of Grazia. Priyanka observes, “What a joy to be your global cover star.” But way back in 2015, India Today–a political magazine–put her on the cover with the title America’s Most Wanted. And certainly the most visible, it was the time when in a few weeks Quantico–her first major OTT series was to be premiered. If you happened to be in the US at that time, her face was seen plastered on buses and signposts, everywhere. She wasn’t critically acclaimed for her at that time – especially the desi English speaking filmi experts --but who cares about them – least of all Priyanka! For her it was a stepping stone to get familiar with Hollywood and, in the due course, do some projects and gain recognition of her talent and potential, which is of a critical importance to become a global superstar.
In the years that followed, which include the Covid times of uncertainty, when showbiz came to a grinding halt, this Indian global prodigy has only grown in strength and stature.
Much is known about her, not just as a celebrity, but as a person, for she wrote a prolific autobiography Unfinished published in 2021. Priyanka grew up between the two worlds, her childhood in India, her teenage in the US, and then she returned and won some beauty pageants and arrived on the Bollywood scene with a bang. She makes a few things ample clear that she is realistic about life, has made her do wonders. One of the very striking features of the book is how little she talks about her tryst and triumphs in Bollywood. Was this a snub, or perhaps was not important to her? But what comes across clearly is that she’s a thinking woman with her heart in the right place.
Like any one of us, she’s vulnerable and has all the failings that make us human. Priyanka faces her fears and talks about her insecurities and traumas that seem to be part and parcel of any relationship or, for that matter, falling in love. And Nick Jonas, her ten years younger partner and a famous American singer, songwriter and actor, is not just one of those dreamy types but can be raw and honest.
A doer, Priyanka presents a humanistic side, can get philosophical and sassy at the same time, and is bold, rebellious, and inspirational. She believes that perfection is elusive, and authenticity is imperative. Authenticity in the glamour world stands out, and that perhaps is one of the many reasons for her success. “Nothing is a coincidence…everything you’re experiencing is meant to happen… “ she shared on Instagram.
Driven by womenpower, her mother is Priyanka’s inspiration. “I’m so lucky to have always known the love of a mother. My mother is the strongest woman I know. And her mother was too. I come from a lineage of women who are warriors and I was blessed to be raised by many of them. Thank you Ma, you’re the greatest gift in my life. I could not be more grateful you’re mine!”
She’s not anti-man but pro-woman–that’s a positive reinforcement. She’s suffered a lot, losing her father to cancer is something she’s struggling to come to terms with. Though love is the guiding force, her partner Nick is the love of her life, despite, she’s acutely aware, in her own words, “I have always felt that life is a solitary journey…We get on alone, we leave alone, and the decisions we make as we travel on the train are our responsibility alone.”
A sexy feminist who is not satisfied just doing lip service. A UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for many years, Priyanka has been tirelessly working for the cause of a girl child. “The time to prioritize girls and their aspirations is right now!” she shared her sentiments on the #NationalGirlChildDay, and adds, “As we've always said, education changes lives. It’s a fact! And when that includes breaking gender norms and tradition, it can redefine the thinking of a new generation.” Her concerns are global, “as dire as the situation was on the ground in Kenya (shared a picture of a smiling black boy), these smiling faces reminded me that there is hope, and that by continuing to push forward we can make a tangible difference for millions of children. But to do that, we need your help.” she implored.
A powerful actress, Priyanka was in conversation with Kamala Harris, the vice president of the US, arguably the most powerful woman in the world at the Women’s Leadership Forum conference in Washington DC. She spoke so well, “Since the very beginning, the world has undermined the power of women. We’ve been shunned and silenced, but thanks to the sacrifices and tenacity of so many selfless women, we are in a place today where we can come together and work collectively to right the wrongs.”
She lives in LA with Nick and their daughter from surrogacy. A global star, she hasn’t lost her Indian touch, instead, Priyanka wears nativeness with a certain pride. A globetrotter, she was recently spotted at the engagement of her cousin Parineeti Chopra with politician Raghav Chadha. A few weeks ago she was part of the gala launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai. “Standing amidst the breath-taking beauty of NMACC, I couldn’t help but marvel at the vision of Nita Ma’am, Isha and the entire Ambani family. …With its vast collection of paintings, sculptures, and artifacts, NMACC stands as a testament to our rich heritage and history, and provides a platform for emerging artists to showcase their talent….Thank you for this incredible gift to the world of arts!”
Priyanka’s life and achievements are a source of inspiration: to embrace your ambition, work hard and follow your dreams. Indeed, she’s 'unfinished' and a lot more is expected from her in the times to come. The first and foremost: the next episode of Citadel.
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