Priyanka Chopra Jonas recently spoke on the “Armchair Expert” podcast, hosted by Hollywood actors Dax Shepard and Monica Padman, about her decision to move to Hollywood after spending almost two decades in Hindi cinema. Priyanka stated that filmmakers in India were “not casting” her, and she needed a break from the exhausting politics of the industry.
Priyanka explained that she was in the zone of being a “serious actor” and not doing “mega movies” when she got a call from her current manager Anjula Acharia while on the Coorg set of Vishal Bhardwaj’s 2011 movie “7 Khoon Maaf”. Acharia suggested she consider music and connected her with Interscope Records founder, Jimmy Iovine. Priyanka said, “This music thing gave me an opportunity to go into another part of the world, not crave for the movies I didn’t want to get, but I would require to schmooze certain clubs and cliques of people. It would require grovelling, and I had worked a long time by then that I didn’t feel like I wanted to do it.”
Priyanka shared that she felt she was being pushed into a corner in the Hindi film industry, and she had beef with people. She was not good at playing the political game, so she was tired of the politics and needed a break. Priyanka had never spoken about these reasons in public before and said that she was in a safe space on the podcast to share.
Priyanka moved to Los Angeles to pursue music and worked with Interscope Records to create music videos for “In My City” and “Exotic.” While she was “living the dream” through the music, Priyanka soon realized that she was much better at acting, her “day job.” She said, “I got completely caught up in this music thing and thought ‘I am a pop star now, forget about this movie thing,’ quickly to realize I was much better at my day job.”
Jimmy Iovine of Interscope Records suggested Priyanka should look for representation in acting since she had been living in Los Angeles for over two years then. Priyanka was having trouble back home with being cast in the kind of movies she did not want to be cast in. Iovine helped her get in with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), and she made her Hollywood film debut with 2017’s “Baywatch.” Priyanka most recently starred in “The Matrix: Resurrections” and will next be seen in the Prime Video series “Citadel,” opposite Richard Madden of “Game of Thrones” fame.
Priyanka’s experience highlights the importance of taking a break and pursuing other passions. Her move to Los Angeles opened doors for her and allowed her to explore music while giving her a break from the Hindi film industry. It also gave her the opportunity to reconnect with her passion for acting, leading to her successful Hollywood career. Priyanka’s story also highlights the challenges actors face in the Hindi film industry, where politics can sometimes overshadow talent. Her move to Hollywood serves as an inspiration to actors who may feel limited by the industry’s politics, encouraging them to take risks and explore new opportunities.