During the candid conversation, she revisited each change in her professional life and said, “I’ve had to pivot so many times. There were phases where one year I did six movies and all six tanked. And then suddenly someone else was doing the films I wanted to do. My pivots were never about choice. They were about survival. At the time, I was just trying to figure out what to do next.”

The actor further added, “When I started, I didn’t have the privilege to say no. It’s tough to just get the work. I accepted every opportunity, was travelling constantly, and missed key family milestones because refusing work didn’t feel like an option.” However, she feels happy being on the other side of her early sacrifices. “Now I get to choose. Now I can decide what feels right for me.”

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Priyanka continued, “There’s a time for everything. When I first started working, I said yes to everything because every opportunity was a privilege. I didn’t know where my strengths lay, and I wanted to try everything. But now, I say yes with intention. I weigh the pros and cons, I think about the impact on my family, my sanity, and my long-term goals. That’s how you protect your crystal balls.”

Talking about her journey in the Hollywood industry, Priyanka recalled the challenges of breaking into a system that has its own stereotypes. “When I first moved to America and started working in pop music and acting, many roles were written with stereotypes. I had to fight for years before I got my first real break — a role where I could just be an American character, not defined by my ethnicity,” she shared.

On the professional front, Priyanka Chopra was last seen in the action comedy Heads of State, with Idris Elba and John Cena. She will next star in The Bluff and Judgment Day. She also has SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi in the pipeline.