In an interview with Hindustan Times, her mother, Madhu Chopra, revealed that their hometown, Bareilly, was not entirely supportive after Priyanka won the Miss World title in 2000. While the rest of India celebrated her achievement, Bareilly’s conservative mindset viewed beauty pageants negatively. Many in the city dismissed her victory as “naari shoshan” (exploitation of women), making it difficult for her to receive the kind of welcome she deserved.
According to Madhu Chopra, authorities in Bareilly did not allow grand celebrations for Priyanka’s homecoming. Instead, a small event was arranged within the army area, where her father was posted at the time. This contrast was striking compared to Mumbai, where the entertainment industry welcomed her with open arms. Producers and filmmakers immediately recognized her potential, offering her a gateway into Bollywood. However, Priyanka initially had no plans to enter films. She had aspirations of becoming an aeronautical engineer or a criminal psychologist. But destiny had other plans, and soon, she became one of the most successful actresses in the Indian film industry.
On the work front, Priyanka will be next seen in SS Rajamouli‘s directorial. Her previous outing was the TV series ‘Citadel,’ for which the last episode of season 1 received 3 out of 5 stars from ETimes, and our official review reads, “Lesley Manville shines brighter in this episode, and once again, Madden is in the spotlight, too. The action choreography deserves a mention, and though Priyanka has relatively less to do than her co-actors and she did in previous episodes, she delivers a decent performance in every scene. Her stunts are once again power-packed. Overall, the episode is well-directed and well-shot and keeps one glued with the twists, turns, and revelations. The fast pace helps it keep gripping. And the series ends with a snippet of the next chapter in the spy verse, which shows promise with its high-octane action. 2WEI’s version of the track Mad World is an apt end and beginning.”
