Priyanka Chopra: “Keep walking…..and ride the waves that come at you”
The actor, in an exclusive interview with Bazaar India, talks about why it’s important to keep walking, following the signs of the universe, and what fuels her to push boundaries and walk new paths.
Throughout her career, Priyanka Chopra has taken on an impressive variety of roles, consistently evolving and breaking new ground with an unmistakable flair. A firm believer in seeking and taking signs from the universe, PeeCee has achieved the status of a global icon. She was crowned Miss India at 17 and has since won hearts through her movies and performances in Indian and international features and with her multi-hyphenated personality.
The one thing that has remained constant throughout her journey is that she has stayed true to herself, always. She continues to push boundaries and keep walking. In many ways, she embodies Johnnie Walker Refreshing Mixer Non Alcoholic's brand philosophy to the T. It's not surprising then that Priyanka Chopra is the face of their new campaign ‘Can’t Stand Still’. It captures the continuous pursuit of new experiences that the star has been a frontrunner of, for a very long time.
In an exclusive interview, Bazaar India catches up with the actor, who speaks about the icons who inspire her, adapting and evolving with the changing times, what’s in store for 2025, and more.
Harper’s Bazaar India: How has the transition from Bollywood to Hollywood been?
Priyanka Chopra: It’s the journey of life for me. I’ve not really spent a lot of time thinking about what I did, how I made this transition, what decisions I took. I’ve always been someone who kept her head down and kept moving. I believe, when you wake up and think about what you want to achieve in five or 10 years from now, life can seem more daunting than it already is. I prefer to think about today. My philosophy has always been to ask myself, ‘What do I need to do and have to achieve today? How can I be excellent today? And what is my next step’. I keep moving and my career has been an accumulation of good and bad decisions, ups and downs, mountains and valleys. The ambition, through all of that, has always been to be true to myself, be excellent, and have high expectations of myself—in good times and bad.
This is why the Johnnie Walker Refreshing Mixer Non Alcoholic "Keep Walking" campaign makes so much sense to me. It’s the easiest philosophy of life—to ride the waves that come at you.
HB: Who are some icons that symbolise the "Keep Walking" phrase for you?
PC: There are so many incredible people that I’ve had the opportunity to meet and work with. I can associate Angelina Jolie with that philosophy. The late Sridevi is a massive inspiration to me for her sense of evolution and artistry. I’ve worked with some incredible filmmakers who you see evolve in front and behind the camera. For example, the Russo brothers, their evolution from doing sitcoms to directing Citadel and The Avengers is remarkable. I’m very fortunate to work with people from various walks of life. Be it starting out with Hemant Trivedi or Tarun Tahiliani in the early 2000s to still wearing TT today. I didn’t go to film school nor did I learn how to navigate the entertainment industry, but I’ve learnt from incredible colleagues and people that I’ve had the good fortune to work with.
HB: What are some pivotal moments in your life that have fuelled your drive to keep pushing boundaries?
PC: There have been many instances in my life where I had to push boundaries simply because I didn’t have an option. You either survive or you thrive. I didn’t want to only survive. I feel that life is a gift and my parents worked really hard to make me the person I am today and give me the opportunities. I want to make sure that I thrive as much as I can in anything I take up. I moved to America when I was 12 and was in a high school where girls in the ninth grade wore shorts, did make-up, and had blow-dried hair. I went from a girl who’d never done her eyebrows to doing all of that. At 17, I was Miss India. I am a follower of destiny, I keep my ears to the ground and look for signs that the universe is giving me. When an opportunity comes your way, you have to learn how to pivot, and keep moving and walking. If you stand still, you stagnate. Standing still is the end of desire.
HB: As a global icon who continues to ‘Keep Walking’, inspiring, and leading change, how do you adapt and evolve with the changing times?
PC: When I talk about moving, it doesn’t mean you have to go against the grain. Every day doesn’t have to be a struggle because you’re moving. You can move with the water; surf it instead of fighting it. If you’re trying to move in a certain direction and the world isn’t ready for it, then it’s not the right time. Move in another direction. That’s the beauty of life. We’re living in such an incredible time where there’s so much information and opportunity at our fingertips. You can have an idea and monetise it sitting at home. It’s an exciting and amazing time of evolution and change when it comes to technology, opportunity, globalisation. If you want to change and evolve, that’s great. If you don’t, that’s okay too. You just have to be willing to understand the circumstances. I’m a Cancerian and keep the same people, things, my friends and habits are the same. I drink the same kind of coffee, eat the same kind of things—that’s my familiarity. I can live in any part of the world as long as I have the people I love in and around me. Your evolution can be as comfortable as you want it to be. You don’t have to be chasing down the Himalayas.
HB: While you ‘Keep Walking’, what is the new path that you want to carve for yourself next?
PC: I’m kind of in the middle of figuring that out. I’m having a moment where I want to figure what I like to do outside of work because I’ve worked my whole life. So, I’m walking towards fuelling my artistic self, not just professionally, but also personally. I’m reading a lot more, spending time with people that intellectually stimulate me, travelling, and observing life. I am just looking for inspiration again.
HB: What is coming up next for PCJ? One thing we should look out for in 2025.
PC: Next year should be really exciting. I have Heads of State that releases on Prime in the summer and it has Idris (Elba) and John Cena. It’s an action comedy that I’m really excited about. Then, I have Citadel 2 which should come out next year. I have The Bluff where I play a pirate. That’s the stuff I did this year. I’m in the middle of developing a lot of projects. I’m also hoping to do something in India as well. I’m just looking for something that excites me and pushes the needle for me as an artist. Hopefully, I’m close to reaching that.
Lead image: Johnnie Walker Refreshing Mixer
Also read: What do Ranveer Singh, AP Dhillon, Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, and Rajkummar Rao have in common?
