Priyanka Chopra recalls ‘opportunities being taken away’ after she had 6 back-to-back flops: 'I had to leave…'

Priyanka Chopra recounted her acting journey at the Bridge Summit, emphasising her initial lack of choices and the need to pivot.

Actor Priyanka Chopra started her acting journey in Bollywood and is now a recognised name in Hollywood too. She recently attended the Bridge Summit in Abu Dhabi, where she spoke about how, in the initial phase of her career, she didn’t have the privilege to say no and recalled how opportunities were taken away from her.

Priyanka Chopra on having six back to back flops intially in her career.

Priyanka Chopra recalls having six back to back flops

Priyanka talked about the changes in her professional journey and said, “It wasn’t that opportunities were presented to me; opportunities were taken away from me. So I had to pivot. There was a year when six of my films flopped back-to-back. It was like, ‘Oh my God, we shouldn’t cast Priyanka because the film won’t do well.’ So, because of the fear of losing, I had to leave what I was comfortable with and pivot to try something new. I had to create opportunities. My pivots were never about choice; they were a lot about survival.”

She added, “When I first started working, I said yes to everything because every opportunity was a privilege. It was tough just to get the work. I accepted every opportunity, was travelling constantly, and missed key family milestones because refusing work didn’t feel like an option. Now I get to choose. Now, I say yes with intention. I weigh the pros and cons, I think about the impact on my family, my sanity, and my long-term goals. That’s how you protect your crystal balls.”

About Priyanka Chopra

After winning Miss World 2000, Priyanka entered Bollywood with The Hero: Love Story of a Spy and quickly rose to prominence with films like Aitraaz, Fashion, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Don, Krrish and more. She won the National Award for Best Actress for her performance in Fashion. The actor went on to deliver hits and blockbusters such as Bajirao Mastani, Mary Kom, Barfi! and more, where her performances also received critical acclaim. She established herself as a powerful leading actor in Bollywood despite having no godfather.

She then expanded her ambition beyond India and, with Quantico, became the first South Asian woman to headline an American network drama. She went on to make her way to Hollywood by featuring in films such as Baywatch, The White Tiger, Love Again, The Matrix Resurrections and later also wore the producer’s hat with her banner Purple Pebble Pictures. Today, she is a global star.

Priyanka Chopra’s upcoming work

Two of Priyanka Chopra’s most awaited projects are her film with S.S. Rajamouli, Varanasi, and the second season of the American spy action drama, Citadel. Varanasi is currently under production and also stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles. The film marks Priyanka’s return to Indian cinema and is scheduled to release on Sankranti 2027.