When Priyanka Chopra poured her heart out about difficult early life & being called ‘Kaali’ by family: “My dad turned our house into a jail…”

Priyanka Chopra used to be one of the biggest names in Bollywood until she aimed even higher and set her sights on Hollywood. But, her early life wasn’t always smooth.

Priyanka Chopra used to be a name that resonated with millions of Indians around the world until it became a name that simply resonated with many millions of people from all countries. From the unassuming city of Jamshedpur, she began her journey to stardom by winning the Miss World 2000 pageant. This victory opened doors to Bollywood, where she made her acting debut with the Tamil film Thamizhan and in Bollywood with The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. Over the years, Priyanka has starred in numerous box-office hits and established herself as one of the most versatile and highest-paid actresses in India.

But, domestic success was only half the job done as Priyanka Chopra transitioned into Hollywood by acting in the American network drama Quantico (2015-2018) as Alex Parrish. She became the first South Asian to headline an American network drama. She continued to work in Hollywood by appearing in films such as Baywatch, Isn’t It Romantic and The White Tiger. Her Hollywood career is a testimony to her determination to break barriers and represent Indian talent on a global stage.

Priyanka Chopra’s earlier years

Priyanka Chopra’s childhood years were often marked with frequent changes as her father’s military career relocated them to numerous cities in India. A child of army doctors, Priyanka despite all odds, blossomed from a beauty queen to a movie star in India. She even spent time studying in Massachusetts, USA. But, Priyanka’s earlier life wasn’t always a bed of roses and she once candidly confessed to facing a lot of hardships growing up.

When PeeCee opened up

In an interview she gave to The Guardian back in 2016, Priyanka Chopra said, “I was the darkest, so in jest my family called me kaali [black girl], and I never really understood how much that affected me until I was a teenager.” She also admitted to being called “brownie” and “curry” by her classmates in New York. She also reminisced about an incident when a man jumped onto her balcony back in India.

She said, “My dad was terrified, and he literally turned our house into a jail. He put wrought-iron bars on my windows – because one guy had jumped from another terrace on to my balcony – and a big lock on the front door. I wasn’t allowed to wear tight clothes or tight T-shirts. We had a big clash of egos.” Well, it is perhaps the fact that she went through these hardships that prepared her for what lay ahead.