| Name | Priyanka Chopra |
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| Occupation | actress, model, singer-songwriter |
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| Birth place | Jamshedpur, Jharkand, India |
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| Birth date | July 18, 1982 |
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| Nationality | Indian |
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| Yearsactive | 2002–present |
|---|
| Relatives | Parineeti Chopra (Cousin) |
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| Website |
}} |
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Priyanka Chopra (; born 18 July 1982) is an Indian actress, singer-songwriter and former Miss World. Before starting her acting career, she worked as a model and gained fame after winning the Miss World title in 2000. She is often referred to by the nickname "Piggy Chops", which was given to her by co-stars on the set of the film ''Bluffmaster!'' During her career, Chopra has received four Filmfare Awards, among seven nominations and one National Film Award for Best Actress.
Chopra made her acting debut with the 2002 Tamil film ''Thamizhan''. The following year, she made her Bollywood film debut with ''The Hero: Love Story of a Spy'' and followed it with the hit ''Andaaz'', for which she won a Filmfare Best Female Debut Award. In 2004, she became the second woman to win the Filmfare Best Villain Award, which she received for her critically acclaimed performance in ''Aitraaz''. She subsequently appeared in successful films like ''Mujhse Shaadi Karogi'' (2004), ''Krrish'' (2006) and ''Don: The Chase Begins Again'' (2006).
2008 marked the beginning of a new phase in Chopra's career. Her portrayal of a troubled model in ''Fashion'' earned her a National Film Award for Best Actress, as well as a Filmfare Award for Best Actress. She received further critical acclaim for roles in films like ''Kaminey'' (2009), ''What's Your Raashee?'' (2009) and ''7 Khoon Maaf'' (2011), for which she won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and followed it with commercially successful films such as ''Don 2'' (2011) and ''Agneepath'' (2012) . Having done so, Chopra established herself as one of the leading contemporary actresses in Bollywood.
In addition to movie acting, Chopra is a trained western classical singer. She signed a worldwide recording agreement with Universal Music and Desi Hits to record and release her first music album. The first single is expected to release in June 2012.
Chopra was born in Jamshedpur,
Jharkhand to Ashok Chopra and Madhu Akhauri, both
physicians by profession in the
Indian Army. She spent 7 years in
Bareilly,
Uttar Pradesh;
Newton, Massachusetts; and
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her father hails from a family of
Punjabi origin, settled in
Ambala district in the state of
Haryana and her mother, from a (Bhagalpur)Bihari family settled in
Jamshedpur. She also has a brother, Siddharth, who is seven years younger than her. Her cousin
Parineeti Chopra is also an actress.
Chopra studied at La Martiniere Girls' School in Lucknow as a young girl. She subsequently re-located to the U.S. where she studied in Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts and then in John F. Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She returned to India and finished her high school at Army Public School in Bareilly. She registered for her college studies at Jai Hind College in Mumbai.
Chopra made her debut in the 2002
Tamil film ''
Thamizhan'' playing the role of Priya, the love interest of the protaginist in the film played by
Vijay. The film was praised for its wit, although the depth of Chopra's character was seen as lacking. Chopra also sang playback in the film, singing "Ullathai Killadhe" along with Vijay. In 2003, she appeared in her first Bollywood film, opposite
Sunny Deol and
Preity Zinta in the
Anil Sharma film ''
The Hero: Love Story of a Spy''. She played a supporting role as a doctor named Shaheen in the film that ''
The New York Times'' described as "ripping its text from the seething border tensions between India and Pakistan, spicing its conflict with hot-tempered religious zealots bent on nuclear havoc". Despite being one of the highest grossing films of that year, the overall film was not well received by critics. Chopra was awarded mostly good reviews for her debut Hindi performance. Later that year she appeared in
Raj Kanwar's ''
Andaaz'', playing the character of Jiya who falls in love with Raj Malhotra, played by
Akshay Kumar. The film was a success at the box office, earning her a
Filmfare Best Female Debut Award and a nomination for
Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award.
Rediff.com said of her role, "Priyanka Chopra alone clicks with the audience, thanks to her skimpy outfits."
Her next few films released in 2004 ''
Plan'' opposite
Sanjay Dutt, ''
Kismat'' opposite
Bobby Deol and ''
Asambhav'' opposite
Arjun Rampal performed poorly at the box office. Later that year she appeared in
David Dhawan's romantic comedy ''
Mujhse Shaadi Karogi'' playing the role of a young fashion designer Rani along with
Salman Khan and
Akshay Kumar. The film turned out to be the third-highest grossing film of that year. She next starred in
Abbas-Mustan's thriller ''
Aitraaz'' alongside
Akshay Kumar and
Kareena Kapoor. It was her first negative role and her performance was critically acclaimed. She earned a
Filmfare Best Villain Award, becoming the second and last female actor to win the award after
Kajol (the category has been retired since 2008). She also received a second nomination for
Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for the role. Film critic Subhash K. Jha noted, "A star is born! As the predatory social-climbing seductress who can go to any length to satiate her lust for life, Priyanka Chopra rocks the scene like never before. The film is undoubtedly a triumph for Priyanka Chopra. With half a smile, a twitch of her lip and a movement of her eyebrow she seems to slip into her man-eater's role with captivating ease".
Taran Adarsh wrote, "AITRAAZ belongs to Priyanka Chopra completely. No two opinions on that! Be it her first appearance [in the story] or the sequence when she openly asks Akshay for sexual favours or the sequence with Kareena, Priyanka gets an opportunity to bear her claws and she does it with complete understanding of the character. She sneaks her way through the role like an expert, drawing audience hatred the way a magnet collects iron filings."
In 2005, she starred in six films. Four of them, ''Blackmail'', ''Karam'', ''Yakeen'' and ''Barsaat'' failed to do well. However, her performance in ''Yakeen'' garnered mostly good reviews from critics. Rediff.com noted, "Priyanka does well, though her part is restricted to crying." and Taran Adarsh wrote, "Priyanka Chopra is bound to win laurels yet again, the actor is emerging as one of the finest talents in these fast-changing times." Her other two 2005 releases, ''Waqt: The Race Against Time'' and ''Bluffmaster!'' were moderately successful at the box office. Subhash K Jha wrote about her performance in Bluffmaster!, "Chopra has little to do. But she does it with eye-catching aplomb."
In 2006, Chopra starred in Rakesh Roshan's ''Krrish'' which was a sequel to the 2004 sci-fi film ''Koi... Mil Gaya''. She shared the screen with Hrithik Roshan and Rekha. The film was declared a blockbuster and was one of the highest grossing films of the year. She also appeared in ''Aap Ki Khatir'' opposite Akshaye Khanna and Dino Morea. Her last release was Farhan Akhtar's ''Don: The Chase Begins Again'', alongside Shahrukh Khan which was a remake of the 1978 film ''Don''. She was cast to play Roma, a role which was played by Zeenat Aman in the original movie. Shahrukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra underwent special martial arts training for their roles in the movie and both performed their own stunts. Upon release, The film was generally well received both in India and abroad. A week after its theatrical run, Box Office India declared the film a hit in India, and a "blockbuster" overseas.
In 2007, she appeared in Nikhil Advani's ensemble piece ''Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love''. Despite a promising opening, the movie was a financial failure. Chopra received mixed to negative reviews for her performance in the film. Her next release, the much-delayed ''Big Brother'', also underperformed at the box-office.
In 2008, Chopra acted in six films. Her first four films, ''Love Story 2050'', ''God Tussi Great Ho'', ''Chamku'' and ''Drona'', were critically and commercially unsuccessful. Critics started panning her for choosing the wrong movies and criticising her performances. Still, she was noted for her physical performance in ''Drona''. The Times of India critic Nikhat Kazmi wrote, "Priyanka Chopra kicks butt like never before."
After a series of flops, Chopra was cast in
Madhur Bhandarkar's ''
Fashion'' (2008) for the lead role of Meghna Mathur. Revolving around the fashion world through Chopra's role of an ambitious model, the film was a critical success. Her performance in the film was appreciated and earned her several awards for Best Actress including the
National Film Award for Best Actress, as well as the
Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Subhash K Jha said of her performance, "Her transformation from the bubbly Chandigarh girl to the super-ambitious supermodel, who dumps her boyfriend and conscience to pursue her dreams, is achieved with a gentle subtlety and bridled passion. This is Priyanka’s coming-of-age film. She looks like a zillion bucks. And acts like a woman who connects with the darkest, most desperate human emotions without wallowing in them."
Rajeev Masand wrote, "Chopra turns in a respectable performance, one that will inevitably go down as her best." The film became a major turning point in her career. Chopra's final release of the year was
Tarun Mansukhani's romantic comedy ''
Dostana'' alongside
Abhishek Bachchan and
John Abraham. The film explores the story of two men who pretend to be gay, so that they can rent an apartment from an older lady. Both the men fall in love with the same girl, their roommate, but are unable to express their feelings because she is related to the old landlady. The film was a financial success and went on to become the eight-highest grossing film at the Indian box office in 2008. Chopra received positive reviews for her performance.
Khalid Mohamed wrote, "Priyanka Chopra is in form, pretty convincing as a working woman who’s trying to deal with professional pressures." She was also praised for her overall look in the film.
In 2009, she appeared in Vishal Bhardwaj's caper thriller ''Kaminey'' alongside Shahid Kapoor, playing the role of a feisty Marathi girl named Sweety. The film was a critical and commercial success. Her performance received positive reviews with Taran Adarsh describing it as "first-rate", He further stated, "She's so much in sync with her character... [and] gets the Maharashtrian accent perfect". Anupama Chopra wrote, "Sweety is this year’s most exciting heroine after Paro in Dev D, and Priyanka plays her with aplomb." Her work in the film brought her several awards and nominations including a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination and a second consecutive Apsara Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. She subsequently appeared in Ashutosh Gowariker's romantic comedy ''What's Your Raashee?'', a film which made Chopra the first actress in cinema history to portray 12 distinct characters in one film. She was reportedly being considered for inclusion in the upcoming edition of ''Guinness World Records'' for this feat. The film itself was a financial and critical failure, but Chopra's performance was appreciated by the critics. Rediff wrote, "Priyanka Chopra transforms into 12 new skins with astonishing distinction, voice and spirit. The actress reinvents herself into this unique individual every single time ranging from batty, bashful and boisterous. This is simply her show." Film critic Subhash K Jha noted, "It's an amazing achievement. Priyanka gives soul to all the 12 characters she plays. In the climactic song, she brings all of them together, quirks and mannerisms all on display in one unified flow of feelings and body-language. The actress achieves individuality for all her characters while giving the plot a homogenous flow."
In 2010, Chopra appeared in Jugal Hansraj's ''Pyaar Impossible!'' opposite Uday Chopra where she portrayed the role of a college beauty who eventually falls in love with a geek. The film was a commercial and critical failure. Her next release, Siddharth Anand's ''Anjaana Anjaani'' alongside Ranbir Kapoor, got a good initial response at the box office, but was not well-received by the critics. She received positive to mixed comments from critics for her performance. Komal Nahta mentioned, "Priyanka Chopra looks sexy and performs well."
Chopra's first release of 2011 was Vishal Bhardwaj's black comedy ''7 Khoon Maaf'', in which she portrayed the role of Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, an Anglo-Indian woman who murders her seven husbands in an unending quest for love. The film was a commercial failure and received mixed response from the critics, however her performance received mostly good reviews. Mayank Shekhar wrote, "For Priyanka Chopra, who plays the Anglo-Indian protagonist, this is unquestionably a role of a lifetime. She has you by the eyeballs." and Nikhat Kazmi from The Times of India noted, "7 Khoon Maaf would undoubtedly end up as a milestone in Priyanka Chopra's career graph. The actor displays exquisite command over a complex character that is definitely a first in Indian cinema. She renders a subtle and restrained portrayal of a lonely and wronged woman who wanted love and only love from life." Chopra eventually earned the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and a Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination. Her next release was Farhan Akhtar's ''Don 2'' alongside Shahrukh Khan, in which she reprised her role of Roma. The film was a sequel to the 2006 action thriller ''Don: The Chase Begins Again''. Upon release, while Indian critics gave positive to mixed reviews, overseas film critics praised it. The film was a major success in India and a blockbuster overseas. It went on to break multiple box-office records in India and overseas, including highest opening day grosser ever on a non-holiday Friday and the highest grossing Bollywood movie overseas in 2011.
In early 2012, Chopra became the first Bollywood actor to be signed by Creative Artists Agency, a prominent entertainment and sports agency headquartered in Los Angeles. The agency will handle her acting career in Hollywood. Her first release of the year was Karan Johar's ''Agneepath'' alongside Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt and Rishi Kapoor. The film was a remake of the 1990 classic of the same name. Upon release, the film broke the highest opening day collections record and became a critical and commercial success. Her performance in the film was appreciated by most critics. Mayank Shekhar noted, "Chopra stands out in a male-centric movie." and Komal Nahta wrote, "Chopra shines in a comparatively short role. She makes the character of Kaali very endearing. Her dances are extremely graceful and she shines in emotional scenes." Her next release is Kunal Kohli's Teri Meri Kahaani opposite Shahid Kapoor. The tagline reads, "thrice upon a love story", as the premise is set in 1910, 1960, and 2012. Chopra plays a different role in each time period. The movie is scheduled to release in June 2012. She will also appear in Anurag Basu's ''Barfi!'' alongside Ranbir Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz, in which she portrays the character of an autistic woman. Chopra claims it is her toughest role yet. In an effort to get into the skin of the character, she had to visit and spend time with autistic people. The movie is set to release in July 2012. She is currently filming ''Krrish 3'' alongside Hrithik Roshan, Vivek Oberoi and Kangna Ranaut in which she is respring her role of Priya. The film is a sequel to the 2006 superhero film Krrish.
Chopra entered the world of beauty pageants when her mother sent in pictures of her for the
Femina Miss India contest without her knowledge. When she got called to participate, she was encouraged by her father, and entered. She came in second place at the Femina Miss India 2000 competition, behind
Lara Dutta and ahead of
Dia Mirza, winning the Femina Miss India World title. She was subsequently sent to the
Miss World pageant, where she was crowned
Miss World 2000, along with
Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty − Asia & Oceania. She impressed the judges with her effortless speech on behalf of humanity and charity, as she expressed admiration of
Mother Teresa. In the same year, her Miss India co-winners Lara Dutta and Dia Mirza, won the
Miss Universe and
Miss Asia Pacific crowns respectively, in a rare triple victory for one country. When Chopra won the Miss World crown, she became the fifth Indian woman to win the title, and the fourth Indian woman to win in a span of seven years.
In 2007, Chopra returned to the Miss India pageant as a judge for the first time. She stated, "Miss India will always remain special. That's where it all started for me. And maybe that's where it would've ended if I hadn't won the crown." She came back again to Miss India in 2009 as a performer, and also became a judge at Miss World 2009.
Chopra declined an opportunity to sing "Tinka Tinka" in her film ''
Karam'' (2005) as she wanted to concentrate on acting. She later sang live on the TV program
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. She became a television host with the reality show ''
Khatron Ke Khiladi'' in
Colors, replacing
Akshay Kumar. The show beat the opening ratings of the previous two seasons.
Chopra is a regular stage performer and has participated in various concerts and award ceremonies.
She took part in a concert tour titled ''Temptations 2004'' and performed alongside other Bollywood actors and actresses, including Shahrukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukerji, Preity Zinta and Arjun Rampal in nineteen stage shows worldwide.
In 2011, Chopra participated in the Friendship Concert along with Shahid Kapoor and Shahrukh Khan, celebrating 150 years of the India-South Africa friendship in Durban, South Africa. The concert was hosted by actor Anil Kapoor.
In 2012, Chopra performed at the opening ceremony of the 5th edition of IPL - Indian Premier League alongside Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Kareena Kapoor and international pop star Katty Perry. The Event was held in M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Like the IPL opening nite, Pune had its own opening nite for its newly constructed Sahara Stadium in which Chopra performed along with other Bollywood actresses, including Bipasha Basu and Priety Zinta.
Chopra is a trained western
classical singer. In August 2011, she signed a worldwide recording agreement with
Universal Music and Desi Hits to record and release her first music album. The album will be released in North America with Desi Hits through
Interscope Records and in other international markets on UK's
Island Records. Her music career will be managed by Troy Carter chief executive officer of Atom Factory, who is also
Lady Gaga's manager. The album, which will be produced by
Universal Music Group and Desi Hits will contain about ten pop songs and will release worldwide, sometime in 2012. Chopra is currently writing and recording the album in English.
The UK-born singer Jay Sean who has had international success with his single Down, has written three songs for the Album.
Chopra supports various charities including NDTV's ''Greenathon'', an initiative to make people go eco-friendly and look into lack of electricity in multiple rural villages. In February 2005, Chopra participated in the ''HELP! Telethon Concert'' to help raise money for the victims of the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake with other Bollywood stars. In 2006, An auction on eBay India, the online auction house, opened bids to help the auction winner spend a day with Chopra. All proceeds from the auction were donated to a reputed NGO called Nanhi Kali which helps educate the girl child in rural and urban India. In 2007, she visited the historic Tenga, an important location for the 1960
Indo-China war to boost the morale of the jawan troops for a special episode on the NDTV show, ''Jai Jawan''. In 2009, Chopra shot a documentary for an organization, Alert India, to spread awareness about leprosy. Later, the documentary was presented at a charity dinner which was hosted by chopra herself.
In 2010, Chopra joined hands with `Wave', a philanthropic organization that works for the cause of women. She has been given the onus of supporting them in realizing their mission, one of which is to set up schools. She was also appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2010, joining Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan and actress Sharmila Tagore for supporting UNICEF’s work regarding children all over the world. Chopra started her collaboration with UNICEF in 2008. Since then, she has recorded a series of public service announcements championing girls education and celebrating the 20th anniversary of the convention on the Rights of the Child. She has also participated in a media panel discussion to promote child rights.
In 2012, Chopra and Priya Dutt pledged their dedication towards the cause of curing addiction at the launch of ''Awakening Youth'', a program to make mankind addiction free. She was a hit among the crowds and gave the audience a touching speech about the future of the youth of India. To kick start the fourth edition of NDTV's ''Greenathon'', Chopra cleaned the Yamuna river in Agra in a symbolic gesture as part of an initiative to create awareness for environmental issues. She said, "This time we began our campaign from Agra because tourist inflow is maximum here. Taj Mahal is on the bank of river Yamuna, which has become a dumping zone of waste materials now. If we do not protect our environment our future will be dark." Model-actor Milind Soman and Abhishek Mishra, Minister of State for Protocol, UP, along with local environmental organizations and school children joined her in the effort. The whole exercise took about an hour.
Chopra continues to walk the ramp for various fashion designers. In 2010, she appeared for
Ritu Kumar's collection at HDIL India Couture Week. She appeared on the cover of the inaugural issue of Inda's edition of
Maxim. She has a number of endorsements and is one of the top paid Bollywood actresses in this respect. She has represented brands including
Lux,
Ponds,
Sunsilk,
Hero Honda,
Nokia,
Tag Heuer, J. Hampsted, Virgin Comic, Asmi Jewelry,
Levis,
Bru,
Nikon,
Samsung and
Garnier. In 2006, Chopra was one of four Bollywood actors including
Shahrukh Khan,
Kajol and
Hrithik Roshan whose miniature dolls were launched by Shameen Jivraj and toy distributors, Spin Master Toys UK. Chopra's doll was dressed in a traditional Indian outfit.
Chopra has won several movie awards, including the
Filmfare Best Female Debut Award in 2003 for ''
Andaaz'', the
Filmfare Best Villain Award in 2005 for ''
Aitraaz'', the
Filmfare Best Actress Award in 2009 for ''
Fashion'', the
National Film Award for Best Actress in 2009 for ''
Fashion'' and the
Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress in 2012 for ''
7 Khoon Maaf''.
Apart from awards, she has also received several honors. In 2006, the UK magazine ''Eastern Eye'' ranked her first on their list of "Asia's Sexiest Women". Rediff wrote, "This babe has attitude, talent and seems tough enough to go the distance.". An eBay online poll crowned her "Style Diva of the Year" in 2006.
In 2011, Chopra who is known for her simple yet stylish wardrobe was declared by ''People Magazine India'' as the Best Dressed Woman of the year and ''Maxim Magazine'' named her the Hottest Girl of the year.
In early 2012, Chopra was named ''India's Glam Diva''. The title was given as a part of Big CBS Love's show of the same name. She won on the basis of public voting. Jury member and choreographer Shiamak Davar said: "She wants to be number one; she wants to conquer the world; she wants to make it not only in India but globally - which is great." In April 2012, Chopra was declared as the ''Topmost influential Indian in the social media circuit'' by a survey conducted by Pinstorm India. Chopra was honored with ''Punjabi Icons Award'' at a Baisakhi celebration in Mumbai. Others to be honored at the ceremony with Punjabi Icons Awards were cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu and veteran actor Om Puri. Charan Singh Sapra, Punjabi Cultural Heritage Board head and Congress legislator said at the occasion, “These eminent personalities were selected for the honours for their sterling contribution in their respective fields.”
List of Indian film actresses
Femina Miss India
Miss World 2000
Official Website
}}
Category:1982 births
Category:Living people
Category:Indian film actors
Category:Hindi film actors
Category:Indian actors
Category:Filmfare Awards winners
Category:Miss World winners
Category:Miss World 2000 delegates
Category:Femina Miss India winners
Category:Military brats
Category:Indian female models
Category:La Martiniere Lucknow alumni
Category:Indian Hindus
Category:Punjabi people
Category:People from Bareilly
Category:People from Jharkhand
Category:National Film Award winners
Category:Indian game show hosts
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az:Priyanka Çopra
bn:প্রিয়াঙ্কা চোপড়া
de:Priyanka Chopra
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fa:پریانکا چوپرا
fr:Priyanka Chopra
gu:પ્રિયંકા ચોપરા
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jv:Priyanka Chopra
kn:ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕಾ ಚೋಪ್ರಾ
kk:Приянка Чопра
ml:പ്രിയങ്ക ചോപ്ര
mr:प्रियांका चोप्रा
ms:Priyanka Chopra
nl:Priyanka Chopra
ja:プリヤンカー・チョープラー
no:Priyanka Chopra
pnb:پریانکا چوپڑہ
ps:پريانکا چوپړا
pl:Priyanka Chopra
pt:Priyanka Chopra
ro:Priyanka Chopra
ru:Чопра, Приянка
sq:Priyanka Chopra
sr:Пријанка Чопра
fi:Priyanka Chopra
sv:Priyanka Chopra
ta:பிரியங்கா சோப்ரா
te:ప్రియాంక చోప్రా
th:ปริยังกา โจปรา
tg:Приянка Чопра
uk:Пріянка Чопра
vi:Priyanka Chopra
zh-yue:裴莉言嘉
zh:佩麗冉卡·曹帕拉
