Priyanka Chopra initially resisted acting in Thamizhan despite her Miss World 2000 win. Her mother, Madhu Chopra, persuaded her to take the role, which launched Priyanka’s successful film career.

Priyanka Chopra and Vijay in Thamizhan (Image: X)

After winning the Miss World 2000 crown, Priyanka Chopra made her acting debut in the Tamil film Thamizhan alongside Thalapathy Vijay. However, this transition into acting wasn’t as smooth as one might expect. In a recent conversation with Filmygyan, Priyanka’s mother, Madhu Chopra, shared the story of how Priyanka initially hesitated to accept the role and how she ultimately overcame her doubts.

Priyanka, known today for her successful career in Bollywood and Hollywood, was initially resistant to the idea of acting. Madhu Chopra recalled, ‘Priyanka didn’t want to star in films. She got the offer for the South Indian film through somebody. When I told Priyanka about the offer, she was in tears; she said, ‘I am not doing films.’ But she has always been an obedient child. When I told her to accept the offer, she agreed and signed the contract for Thamizhan.’

Once on set, Priyanka faced several challenges, particularly with the language barrier and matching dance steps with her co-star Vijay. Madhu explained, ‘When she was shooting for the film, she began to like it. Despite not knowing the language, she enjoyed it.

The team helped her and treated her with a lot of respect. Vijay starred in the film; he is a perfect gentleman. Raju Sundaram was the choreographer. In dance, Priyanka was okay, but she couldn’t initially match steps with Vijay. She would practice with the choreographer from morning to evening. Then she started enjoying it. This also helped her build her character and realize that she wanted to pursue this as a career.’

Priyanka’s journey from a hesitant newcomer to a confident actress began with Thamizhan. After making her debut in this 2002 Tamil film, she went on to star in her first Bollywood movie, The Hero: Love Story of a Spy in 2003, alongside Sunny Deol. This marked the beginning of her illustrious career in the film industry.

Fast forward to today, Priyanka Chopra is an internationally acclaimed actress with numerous accolades. She recently wrapped up shooting for Heads Of State, an action-comedy featuring Idris Elba, John Cena and Jack Quaid. Additionally, she is set to star in The Bluff, directed by Frank E. Flowers.