I will definitely never be stereotyped: Priyanka Chopra’s on a roll and how! – Public figures are soft targets: Priyanka Chopra. She admits in an interview that most often what is said, gets misunderstood and blown out of proportion
Priyanka Chopra at Golden Globes 2017 (Reuters)
Priyanka Chopra has been a media darling at red carpets and talk shows in the US. She has a lead role on a primetime US television show and is all set to star in her first Hollywood film, Baywatch. In a recent interview with a leading daily, she talked about living the American dream and much more.
When asked to describe the one overwhelming moment that stood out for her, she said, “I loved witnessing Meryl Streep’s speech at the Golden Globes. I was standing on my table and I was screaming and hooting and Sofia (Vergara) who was sitting next to me says, ‘This is not a football game.’ I started laughing and that’s when I actually realised where I was. Meryl Streep made a very strong statement when she condemned US President Donald Trump for mocking a disabled reporter. Do you think it would be possible for a celebrity to talk about issues like this in India?”
She added that she doesn’t usually refrain from talking, that she is opinionated and voices her opinions. “I can’t say that it’s really difficult to have an opinion in India. Every country is different, and ours too”, she said.
She says that while she can’t speak on behalf of everyone in Bollywood, she does believe that “public figures, in general, are soft targets because it’s easier to make a headline about someone saying something. Then sometimes, it’s misconstrued and that gets blown out of proportion.”
When told that she got her big break as a villain in Aitraaz in 2004 and pointed out that her American debut has her playing a character with grey shades, she said, “Honestly, I don’t have time to make these comparisons. I didn’t think of this as my first film in America. To me, it’s my next film, because it’s not just America that is going to see my film, the entire world is. I have done over 50 films and people who like my work and know me for my films will also watch this film.”
PC was asked if she felt that the quality of roles being offered to Indian actors in the West had substantially improved. She said, “That was the idea behind doing Quantico and now, my Hollywood film. I can’t single-handedly hold a mashaal (torch), and say that I am here to change the world’s perception of Indian actors. But as far as my individual journey is concerned, I will definitely never be stereotyped; I am very clear about that. I haven’t done it in India as an actor, so I definitely won’t do it abroad. This is not to say that I haven’t been offered stereotypical roles. Sometimes the kinds of films that came to me were the stereotype of what an Indian girl should be. But now, the films that come to me are varied. I think people have understood the kind of roles that I would choose, and that’s a good place to be in.”
