Priyanka Chopra ‘felt really lost’ in Bollywood as an outsider! The truth behind her unconventional choices

When Priyanka Chopra launched Purple Pebble Pictures, she didn’t chase big-budget commercial entertainers. Instead, she embraced indie films, regional cinema and documentaries- stories that usually remain invisible in mainstream spaces. The decision, she admits, had a deeper emotional origin shaped by her early years in the Hindi film industry.

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Her latest project, Born Hungry, currently streaming on JioHotstar, follows celebrity chef Sash Simpson’s extraordinary journey- from being abandoned in India as a child, to being adopted in Canada, and ultimately becoming a celebrated culinary name. Before this, she backed projects like Paani and Ventilator, which also spotlighted meaningful storytelling over box office sheen.

Why Priyanka Connects With Marginalised Voices?

Opening up in a conversation with PTI, Priyanka explained the driving force behind her production choices.

She said, “As a producer, I'm empathetic, and our ethos is a lot around wanting to give opportunities to newer filmmakers or filmmakers that want to achieve something that they haven't been able to or are kind of hitting a wall somewhere. My production side kind of comes from what personally moves me.”

Her inclination towards voices from the fringes, she reveals, comes from a place of lived experience more than creative strategy.

‘I Kind of Felt Really Lost’ in Her Early Career

Reflecting on her initial years in Bollywood, Priyanka shared that the landscape didn’t make sense to her when she first entered.

She said, “I didn't know why I was gravitating towards filmmakers and stories that were maybe marginalised or told that they're not what is expected...As I'm talking about it, I think it does come from the fact that when I joined the industry, I didn't have it. I was trying to navigate this crazy movie industry by myself with my parents, who were doctors and who also had no idea about the business. And I kind of felt really lost.”

Being an outsider in an industry built on legacy and networks left a lasting emotional imprint- one she now channels into creating space for others.

From Miss World to Global Icon

With no film lineage behind her, Priyanka- daughter of army doctors- entered showbiz after winning Miss World 2000 at just 18. Within a few years, she became a formidable performer, earning acclaim for Andaz, Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, Aitraaz and Fashion. Her dominance continued through the 2010s, before she expanded her career to Hollywood in 2016, becoming one of India’s most prominent global stars.

Her Big Comeback to Indian Cinema

After a long gap, Priyanka Chopra will make her return to Indian films in 2027 with SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, starring Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran. It will mark her first Indian release in eight years.

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