Parineeti Chopra: My sister Priyanka wants me to achieve the standard of work that she has
Seeking a source of inspiration is essential for artists to find their way through a maze of creative work that comes their way. For Parineeti Chopra, that inspiration is her sister, actor-producer Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, who has been consistently working on shows and films in the US and producing content in Hindi and other languages in India. Priyanka and Parineeti are cousins who are extremely close to each other. Years ago, Parineeti had even worked as an intern with Priyanka’s PR team.
Talking about how Priyanka, whose recent Hindi films include titles like Mary Kom, Dil Dhadakne Do and The Sky Is Pink, inspires her, Parineeti says, “I keep talking to Mimi Didi (the name she uses to address Priyanka). When I was in London a while ago, she was with me. I would often tell her theoretically about the films I was working on, my process of approaching my characters, and so on.
At that time, she had not seen the films – Saina, Sandeep Aur Pinky Farar and Girl On The Train – but she was very happy to know what I was doing. Eventually, after seeing the films, she told me that she feels proud of me. It’s a big deal for me. She said this to me when I was starting out and was making those instinctive choices, and she is saying the same things now, all over again. Mimi Didi motivates me every day – I follow her actions and observe what she does. My sister wants me to achieve the standard of work that she has. And I am more than happy to make her proud of me.”
After a little over a decade into the business of cinema, Priyanka Chopra-Jonas had expanded her horizons and become a producer with films like Ventilator and Pahuna. She eventually co-produced one of her recent Hindi outings – The Sky Is Pink. Does Parineeti, with a decade’s experience in the business, also plan to produce content that appeals to her? The actress says, “That is definitely on the cards.
I want to do some really risky and distinct films. I want to push the envelope with every project of mine. I feel elated with what I achieved with my last three films, and I want to escalate the proportions of that achievement with every single film. In order to become a producer, I do feel that I need to learn a little more about the back-end of filmmaking, equip myself even more, and strengthen my basics before I jump into it. Maybe next year…
