Priyanka Chopra’s journey from Miss World to film star began with the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan.
Thamizhan released in 2002.
Priyanka Chopra’s journey from beauty queen to film star is a fascinating one, as many successful models in beauty pageants often start in South cinema before making their mark in Hindi films. After being crowned Miss World, Priyanka initially had no intention of pursuing a career in acting, but she was eventually persuaded to try it. She made her debut in the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan, starring alongside Vijay.
In a discussion with Lehren Retro, Priyanka’s mother, Madhu Chopra, recounted how the opportunity came about. She said, “She actually said no to the project, but they somehow reached her brother, who then called up her father, and said, let her just give it a shot in the Summer holidays for two months. It took a lot of convincing, but her father had given his word, and she did it for him.”
Madhu pointed out how important it was for Priyanka to debut in such a big project with Vijay. She said Priyanka really respects him because he was very patient. She said, “She really has a lot of respect for Vijay because he was really patient with her. Raju Sundaram, Prabhu Deva’s brother, was the choreographer, and the steps were tough. Vijay is a professional dancer, and it was tough to keep up. In fact, it was hard to learn the new language, speak the dialogues, and dance.”
Madhu said that Priyanka Chopra often got scolded for not doing things right. She explained, “So, we told them not to waste any reels, and just let her practice in the evening in the room, and that’s how she got the lines and moves right. And then, people started appreciating her, and slowly, Priyanka started enjoying acting.”
Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka Chopra is gearing up for SS Rajamouli’s next, alongside Mahesh Babu. The official announcement is anticipated to be released shortly. However, she wrapped up shooting for her upcoming action-thriller, The Bluff. She will also star with John Cena and Idris Elba in the American action-comedy Heads of State.
