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Priyanka Chopra credits ‘icon’ Aishwarya Rai, Irrfan Khan for paving her path in Hollywood: ‘I stand on their shoulders’
Priyanka Chopra's respect for contemporaries like Aishwarya Rai and Irrfan Khan at Harvard India Conference sparked positive reactions from fans.
Actor Priyanka Chopra recently attended the annual Harvard India Conference as one of the speakers. During a conversation with Anjula Acharia at the conference, the actor spoke about how icons such as Aishwarya Rai, Irrfan Khan and Mindy Kaling helped open doors in Hollywood for her. Reacting to the clip, fans hailed Priyanka for uplifting her contemporaries.
Priyanka Chopra hails Aishwarya Rai and Irrfan Khan
Priyanka spoke about Aishwarya, Irrfan and Mindy, and said, “I really do believe that I stand on the shoulders of amazing artists and talents that came before me. Aishwarya Rai, an icon when she was working in Hollywood, Irrfan Khan, of course, Mindy Kaling. And I was able to push the door open and stand up for what I believe in because they did what they did.”
A Reddit user shared the clip from the conference and fans reacted to it. One of the comments read, “Love her or hate her, Priyanka always uplifts her contemporaries and women in general.” Another commented, “I agree. This is how you respect your contemporaries instead of being bitchy.” Another wrote, “Girl speaks so well, made me believe she is a girl’s girl.” Another added, “PC is so articulate.”
After the Harvard India Conference, Priyanka took to Instagram and penned an emotional note. The actor revealed how she felt overwhelmed to see so many “desi people” wearing sarees and kurtas in the auditorium, recalling not seeing many people who looked like her when she first moved to the US at the age of 12.
About Aishwarya Rai and Irrfan Khan’s Hollywood work
Aishwarya was among the earliest Indian stars to make a mark in Hollywood. She featured in international projects such as Bride & Prejudice, The Mistress of Spices and The Pink Panther 2, bringing Indian representation to Western cinema. Beyond her films, she expanded her international profile with her global presence at Cannes and through international campaigns. Irrfan, on the other hand, carved a powerful space in Hollywood with his acting prowess. The actor delivered memorable performances in films such as The Namesake, Life of Pi, Jurassic World and Slumdog Millionaire, among others.
Priyanka Chopra’s upcoming work
Priyanka is currently awaiting the release of her upcoming film, The Bluff. Helmed by Frank E Flowers, the action thriller also stars Karl Urban, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Safia Oakley-Green and Temuera Morrison in key roles. The film is set to release on Amazon Prime Video on 25 February. She also has SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi in the pipeline alongside Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran, which marks her grand comeback to Indian cinema. The film is scheduled for release in 2027.
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