'Need to see underwear': Priyanka narrates harrowing experience with director
Actor Priyanka Chopra Jonas does not shy away from speaking up about unfavorable encounters in the film industry. After she opened up about why she moved to Hollywood, the actor has now, in a new interview, shared an unsetting incident from her early days in Bollywood. The Citadel actor recalled the time when she felt uncomfortable due to a director's inappropriate behavior on set.
Why does this story matter?
Chopra Jonas made her Bollywood debut with The Hero: Love Story of a Spy in 2003. Having established herself as a versatile actor over the years in the Indian film industry, her foray into Hollywood commenced when Anjula Acharia from Desi Hits spotted her in a music video. She soon paved the way away from Bollywood, kickstarting an exciting new phase in her career.
What exactly happened?
In an interview with The Zoe Report, Chopra Jonas explained she was offered a film in which she was supposed to play an agent. "This may have been 2002...you've to take off one piece of clothing for the scene. I wanted to layer up. The filmmaker was like, 'No, I need to see her underwear. Otherwise, why is anybody coming to watch this movie?'"
'It was a dehumanizing moment…'
Further in the interview, the Barfi actor disclosed, "He didn't say it to me. He said it to the stylist in front of me. It was such a dehumanizing moment." Following this incident, in two days, Chopra Jonas decided to walk off the film. She mentioned in the interview that at her father's request, she reimbursed the production for the expenses they had incurred.
Why did Chopra Jonas move bases to Hollywood?
In March, during an episode of Dax Shepard's podcast, Armchair Expert, Chopra Jonas was asked about her decision to pursue work in the US and she explained her motives that captured headlines. She stated, "I was being pushed into a corner in Bollywood. I had people not casting me, I had beef with people, I was tired of the politics and needed a break."
Meanwhile, a look at Chopra Jonas's upcoming projects
Chopra Jonas is basking in the success of her Amazon Prime series Citadel—released in April—for which she received acclaim for her portrayal of Nadia Sinh. The actor is currently filming her upcoming project, Heads of State, alongside John Cena and Idris Elba. Speaking of Bollywood, she is set to appear in Farhan Akhtar's Jee Le Zaraa, alongside Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt.
