When Priyanka Chopra decided to make the leap from Bollywood stardom to Hollywood, the transition was far from glamorous. While the world saw a global icon in the making, her longtime manager Anjula Acharia witnessed the unseen struggle behind the scenes. Recalling those early days, Anjula admitted she “remembered dying inside” as Priyanka, already a star in India, had to reintroduce herself from scratch in Hollywood.
Anjula Acharia on Priyanka Chopra’s early struggle days in Hollywood
During a conversation on The Ok Sweetie Show, Anjula recalled feeling heartbroken watching Priyanka, whom she described as the ‘Beyoncé of India’, having to start over. She said, “I remember dying inside. Imagine you are with the Beyoncé of a country and nobody else knows she is the Beyoncé—just you. And you’re walking into a magazine she’s already been on the cover of many times, and she’s introducing herself, saying, ‘You don’t know who I am, but I am Priyanka Chopra.’ I am meeting the assistant of the assistant in a cafeteria with her. I was suffering heartbreak for her. But she was so fabulous—she had no ego.”
Anjula went on to praise Priyanka’s humility, adding, “Priyanka has actually taught me a lot about humility. There have been many times when I’ve said, ‘We don’t need to do that,’ and she’s been like, ‘Yeah, we do.’ There have been very specific moments when I’ve felt, ‘We’re above that,’ and she’s said, ‘No, we are not.’”
Priyanka Chopra’s Hollywood leap
Priyanka Chopra officially began her transition to Hollywood in 2015, when she signed with an American talent agency and made her international acting debut with the ABC television series Quantico. The show proved to be a turning point, earning her global recognition and making her the first South Asian woman to headline an American network drama series.
She later moved to the US after her marriage to singer Nick Jonas and went on to make a mark in Hollywood with films such as Baywatch, The Matrix Resurrections, Heads of State and The White Tiger. She also impressed audiences with her action-packed performance in the 2022 spy thriller series Citadel, alongside Richard Madden.
Priyanka is now awaiting the release of her action-thriller The Bluff, co-starring Karl Urban. Helmed by Frank E. Flowers, the film also features Ismael Cruz Córdova, Safia Oakley-Green and Temuera Morrison in key roles, and is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video on February 25, 2026.
In 2027, Priyanka will also make her comeback to Indian cinema with SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus Varanasi. The film stars Mahesh Babu in the lead role, with Prithviraj Sukumaran playing the antagonist, and will see Priyanka in an action-packed avatar. Currently under production, the film is slated for a Sankranti 2027 release.