Not Actor, This Is What Priyanka Chopra Always Aspired To Become

Priyanka Chopra has been a leading figure in taking Indian cinema to the global stage. With projects like Cithadel, The Matrix Resurrections, Isn’t It Romantic and many more upcoming ventures, PeeCee has firmly established her international presence. Today, as she celebrates her 42nd birthday, it’s a perfect time to reflect on her journey. Surprisingly, our desi girl didn’t always aspire to be an actor. Yes, you read that right— Priyanka Chopra had different plans.

Any guesses? Well, before being crowned Miss World and becoming a star, Priyanka Chopra dreamed of being an aeronautical engineer. However, it was her brother who enrolled her in the Miss India pageant, which obviously changed the entire course of her career and put her dream of joining NASA on hold.

In an interview with Star World India, Priyanka Chopra said, “Being crowned Miss India and then Miss World, suddenly I went on from becoming an aeronautical engineer, carefree teenager to standing on a world stage, where I have to have a point of view on probably the most important world events.”

So, who was actually behind Priyanka Chopra’s entry into showbiz? After her Miss World victory, Priyanka was offered a role in Majith’s 2002 courtroom drama Thamizhan. In an interview with Filmygyan, her mother, Madhu Chopra, revealed, “Priyanka didn’t want to star in films. When I told Priyanka about the offer, she was in tears, she said, ‘I am not doing films.’”

However, Priyanka Chopra later accepted the offer at her mother Madhu Chopra’s insistence. “Despite not knowing the language, she enjoyed it. The team helped her and treated her with a lot of respect. She would practice with the choreographer from morning to evening,” she further said.

While Priyanka Chopra made her Bollywood debut in 2003 with The Hero, Thamizhan was her first Tamil film, where she starred alongside Vijay.

Next up, Priyanka Chopra will be seen in The Bluff. Directed by Frank E. Flowers, the story follows a former female pirate who fights to protect her family. In addition to Priyanka, the film stars Karl Urban, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Safia Oakley-Green and Vedanta Naidoo in key roles.