Priyanka Chopra On Her Hollywood Journey: "I Didn't Want To Be A Stereotype Or A Sidekick In Big Movies"

For many who are a part of the Indian Film Industry, making it big in the Western Film Industry, better known as Hollywood, is like a dream. Actors strive for it and only few are able to reach that goal. Priyanka Chopra is one such actress who has been able to make it big in Hollywood as well. But, her journey must not have been an easy one. In a recent interview, she has opened up about it.

Talking to Bollywood Hungama, Priyanka Chopra said, " I had to be ethnically ambiguous to a certain extent to be able to get mainstream roles. Even Quantico, for that matter, I played a half Indian-half American. I couldn’t step out there being Indian because it was too alien for Hollywood.. When I came here [America], I wanted to do mainstream work. I had enjoyed being a mainstream actress in India. I know what I bring to the table when I join a film and I know my job. I didn't want to be a stereo or a sidekick in big movies. I wanted my face on a poster and that was such a struggle when I first started looking for work in America. This is what like six-seven years ago I am talking about. People didn't understand that concept in a really big way. Those movies always ended up becoming niche or independent movies. They were never like 'mainstream' film. When I started working in America, I had to, unfortunately, shed my Indian-ness so that the globe sort of understood 'Okay, there's this person who is an artist', so that it wasn't too alien,"

But it has never been her intention to shed her ‘Indian-ness’ and therefore, she got back to it once people started taking notice. Talking about what her quest is now, she added, "Once I got the attention then I pivoted back to educating people and that is my biggest quest. This is the very big quest of mine is to educate the world about the industry that we come from, the fact that Indians have the ability to stand shoulder to shoulder with anyone or any ethnicity within any industry. For us, to have courage, demand the change that we need instead of being invisible like we are usually taught not to create problems. I am not that person. I encourage people to come out there and show what we are capable of.  The White Tiger was a big example of that. I am continuing that with collaboration with a lot of talent, bringing and producing work in Hollywood which will be helmed and written by Indian talent. That's just my quest now."

Priyanka has won several accolades for her performance in The White Tiger. The actress also has some big releases lined up, including Text For You , The Matrix 4 and Russo Brothers’ series The Citadel.