Priyanka Chopra Jonas: I still have a lot more to do in my English-language work

New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) Global head-turner Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who continues to straddle industries and continents, says her creative appetite is far from satisfied as she looks ahead to a new chapter in her international career.

Reflecting on her journey, the star, who stepped into Hollywood in 2015 with the American TV series Quantico, where she played the lead role of FBI recruit Alex Parrish, noted that while she has explored almost every genre in Hindi cinema, she feels she has “barely scratched the surface” in her English-language work.

Asked what drives her now validation, legacy, or the desire to create space for others who dream beyond borders, Priyanka, who has worked in Hollywood projects such as Chopra Baywatch, Isn’t It Romantic, The White Tiger, The Matrix Resurrections, Heads of States and the action thriller series Citadel, told IANS in an exclusive chat: ““I think a little bit of all of it, you know. I feel that as an artist, I still have a lot more to do in my English-language work. I feel like I haven’t even scratched the surface.”

“In my Hindi cinema filmography, I’ve worked across almost every genre possible, and now I’m seeking to do the same in my English-language or international work, whatever language that might be in.”

The actress, who has been feted with two National Film Awards and the Padma Shri, said that she’s looking to create and, as an actor, work on characters or films that resonate, shift culture, and move people.

The global star says that she wants to back beautiful stories such as Born Hungry with her company Purple Pebble Pictures, which she launched in 2015.

“At the same time, with my production company, I really want to get behind incredible filmmakers like Barry Avrich, who has told such a beautiful story in such a vulnerable yet technically sound way,” added the actress, who made her acting debut in 2002 with the Tamil film Thamizhan.

She said: “We’ve tried to do that with many films Pebble has backed — like Anuja, To Kill a Tiger, Ventilator, Pani. We work across many languages, and the company was built on the ethos of being the shoulders I never had when I joined the industry.”

“We love amplifying stories that need to be told. We love bringing artists — whether filmmakers, writers, actors, any talent that seeks magnification around the world — and being that platform for them.”

She added that supporting filmmakers, writers and actors who need a global platform remains central to her work.

“And yes, maybe it comes from the fact that when I joined the film industry, I didn’t know where to go, who to talk to, or which door to knock on. Maybe that’s why I’ve taken on the movies I have and built the company with the ethos it carries today.”

–IANS

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