'I don't like living in s***,' says Priyanka Chopra on moving from Hindi cinema to Hollywood, took inspiration from Aishwarya Rai, Mindy Kaling

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has previously opened up about why she slowly stepped away from Bollywood to explore opportunities in Hollywood. While her decision to step back from Hindi cinema and find work in Hollywood, may have been a risk, the actress took it all in her stride and is now a global star. However, her decision, especially at the peak of her success in Hindi cinema, triggered conversations across the industry about professional politics, limited opportunities, and the global representation of Indian actors.

The actress opened up on her journey in Hindi cinema and spoke about her first movie on Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, “It was a movie called Thamizhan in the Tamil language. I remember the film—I phonetically learned the language. It’s almost impossible to learn a completely new language that quickly. But it was my first exposure to fame through my co-actor. His name is Vijay, and he is extremely popular," she said.




Recalling her experience on set, Priyanka said the massive fan following of her co-star left a strong impression on her. “I remember when he arrived on set, there would be hundreds of people standing there just to watch him. While he was dancing and acting, I was observing everything. It was my first film, and I had no idea what happened behind the scenes. I had only seen what we see in movie theatres," she said.

She admitted that witnessing such adoration made her curious about fame at a very young age. The actress said, “I remember thinking what a demigod-like feeling that must be. Especially in India, where people love movies and fans are incredibly giving."

Priyanka said that as an 18-year-old entering the entertainment industry, she too wanted that kind of attention and admiration. “My relationship with the job was very naive because I thought it was about fame. Only after I started working did I realise that fame is just a byproduct of the job—it isn’t the job itself," she said.

Reflecting on her decision to explore Hollywood, Priyanka explained that she eventually began to feel creatively constrained while working in India. “When I was working in India, I started feeling a little limited. I like using that word because I wanted to see what else was out there," she said.

She also pointed out that Indian representation in American entertainment was minimal when she began considering the move. The actress added, "In American pop culture, I had only seen people like Mindy Kaling and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. There were very few Indian female or even male actors working in Hollywood. I wanted to understand why we didn’t have that kind of representation. It made me think about where I stood and where I should begin. It came from a need to expand and see what the possibilities were. And like I said, I am competitive."

Priyanka also addressed whether her decision to explore opportunities outside India came during a challenging time in her Bollywood career. Speaking frankly, the actor acknowledged that every career comes with its own struggles and turning points. She said, “Nothing is an easy ride. We all have battles we deal with. I’m just someone who doesn’t like staying in the s*** because then you get used to the smell,” she said. “I believe strongly in pivoting. When life gets tough, we have the ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, take a moment to grieve and feel the pain—and then pivot. I have done that many times in my career.”

Priyanka further shared that when she decided to venture into Hollywood, there was very little guidance or precedent to follow. Rather than waiting for a clear pathway, she chose to rely on her confidence in her abilities and work ethic. There wasn’t much of a precedent before me. I just gave it a shot. The only thing I knew was that I’m a hard worker and I know my craft. Put me on a set with any filmmaker or co-actor and I’ll stand toe-to-toe. So I went out there and started working," she said.Get the latest entertainment updates from the Times of India, along with the latest Hindi movies, upcoming Hindi movies in 2026 , and Telugu movies.”