Priyanka Chopra (born 18 July 1982) is an Indian film actress, singer, and songwriter. Chopra won the Femina Miss India World and Miss World titles of 2000 and has had a successful film career since, mostly in Bollywood
films. Today she is one of Bollywood's highest-paid actresses and one
of the most popular celebrities in India. Chopra has won a National Film Award for Best Actress and Filmfare Awards in four categories.
Chopra, was born in Jamshedpur to parents who were both physicians in the Indian army. Due to their occupations, she frequently travelled as a child, but considers Bareilly to be her real home, where she attended St. Maria Goretti College and then the Army Public School, after a period of living with an aunt in the United States. In 2000, her mother entered her into the Femina Miss India contest, in which she finished second and took the Femina Miss India World title. She was then entered into the Miss World pageant, where she was crowned Miss World 2000 and Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty—Asia & Oceania, becoming the fifth Indian to win the competition.
Although Chopra had aspirations to graduate with a degree in engineering or psychiatry, she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry, making her acting debut opposite Vijay in the Tamil film Thamizhan in 2002. The following year, she starred in The Hero, her first Hindi film release, and followed it with the box-office hit Andaaz, which won her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award (shared with Lara Dutta) and a nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. She subsequently earned wide critical recognition for the role of a seductress in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz, winning her the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. Chopra starred in the 2006 blockbuster superhero film Krrish, (one of her biggest commercial successes to date) and established herself as a leading contemporary actress of Hindi Cinema. After a period with little acclaim, she was praised for her portrayal of a range of unconventional characters, including a troubled model in the 2008 drama Fashion, a serial killer in the 2011 neo-noir 7 Khoon Maaf, and an autistic woman in the 2012 romantic comedy Barfi!. CNN-IBN described Chopra "as one of the most powerful actresses in the current lot and someone who doesn't shy away from experimenting with roles within the realms of popular cinema", due to her considerable range of acting roles.
Chopra is regarded as one of the most popular celebrities in India and has been described as a style icon. Her personal and professional life has received substantial media attention. In addition to acting in films, she has participated in stage shows, hosted a reality show on television, and has written columns for India's national newspapers. In 2012, she released her first single "In My City", which, although a commercial success in India, was met with a mixed reaction from critics. Chopra has also engaged in philanthropic activities, and was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights on 10 August 2010.
Chopra had agreed to make her film debut in Abbas-Mustan's romantic thriller Humraaz, immediately after winning Miss India. However, the role went to another actress, despite the fact that the producers were willing to delay production to accommodate her pageant commitments, as Chopra was showing an interest in other films. She made her screen debut in the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan as the love interest of the protagonist, played by Vijay. The film was praised for its wit and dialogue, although Chopra's character was seen as lacking in depth; Rediff.com asserted that she showed "no promise".
In 2003, Chopra made her Bollywood film debut as the second female lead opposite Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in Anil Sharma's The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. Set against the backdrop of the Indian Army in Kashmir, the film tells the story of an agent and his fight against terrorism. The Hero was one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films that year, but received mixed reviews from critics. Later that year she appeared in Raj Kanwar's box-office success Andaaz with Akshay Kumar, again sharing the female lead (this time with the debuting Lara Dutta). Chopra played a "young and vivacious" girl, Jiya, who falls in love with Raj (played by Kumar). Her performance earned her a share of the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award (with Dutta) and a nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. The Hindustan Times noted the glamour that she brought to the role, and Ashish Magotra, writing for Rediff.com, said that Chopra alone "clicks with the audience, thanks to her skimpy outfits."
Chopra's first three releases in 2004—Plan, Kismat, and Asambhav—performed poorly at the box-office. Chopra was typically cast during this earlier period as a "glamour quotient", in roles that were considered "forgettable" by film critic Joginder Tuteja. Later that year she starred with Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar in David Dhawan's romantic comedy Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, which was a commercial success (with worldwide gross earnings of over
56 crore(s) (US$10 million)) and the third-highest-grossing film of the year in India. In late 2004, she starred opposite Kumar and Kareena Kapoor in Abbas-Mustan's thriller Aitraaz.
Chopra considers her first role as an antagonist, portraying Soniya
Roy, an ambitious woman who accuses her employee of sexual harassment,
as the "biggest" learning experience in her career. The film was a success at the Indian box office, and Chopra's performance was critically acclaimed.
Author Rini Bhattacharya credited her for "bringing back the seductress
to the silver screen" for portraying a morally unscrupulous woman. The Hindustran Times
cited it as the film which "changed the ball game" for her, in that she
"dared to delve into the unknown and portrayed the role of a vamp with
aplomb." A reviewer writing for the BBC said, "Aitraaz
is Priyanka Chopra's film. As the deliciously wicked, gold digging,
scheming seductress, she chews up every scene she is in with her
magnetic screen presence." She earned a Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role (also known as the Best Villain Award), becoming the second—and final—actress to win the award after Kajol;
the category was discontinued in 2008. Chopra also received a
nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her
performance.
In 2005, Chopra appeared in six films. Three of them—Blackmail, Karam and Yakeen—were commercially unsuccessful. Shilpa Bharatan-Iyer of Rediff.com considered Blackmail to be a very predictable film and believed that her role as a police commissioner's wife was very limited from an acting viewpoint, saying, "Priyanka has three tasks in the film. She has to look beautiful. She has to tempt Rathore with a sultry come-hither dance. She has to spout tears and wail". Her performance in Yakeen was better received. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote that Chopra "is bound to win laurels yet again ... the actor is emerging as one of the finest talents in these fast-changing times". Chopra played the girlfriend of Akshay Kumar in Vipul Amrutlal Shah's family drama Waqt: The Race Against Time, the story of a small businessman (played by Amitabh Bachchan) who, hiding his illness, wants to teach his irresponsible son some lessons before he dies. During production, Chopra revisited Leh, a favourite childhood haunt, for the shooting of the song 'Subah hogi', and suffered an accident during the filming for the song 'Do Me A Favour Let's Play Holi' when she electrocuted herself, spending a day in hospital in recovery. The film was a moderate box-office success, and 'Do Me A Favour Let's Play Holi' was praised for having the "right mood, colour and energy required for a Holi song". Her next release was Suneel Darshan's romance Barsaat, co-starring Bobby Deol and Bipasha Basu. The film was a critical and commercial failure and Chopra's performance received mixed reviews. Omar Ahmed of the Birmingham Evening Mail described the film as a "hackneyed, cliche-ridden effort", and said that both "Basu and Chopra are both capable, but their performances, like the whole film, will be forgotten instantly". Taran Adarsh described her performance as "mechanical". Later that year, Rohan Sippy cast her with Abhishek Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh and Nana Patekar in the comedy Bluffmaster!. Chopra played independent working woman Simran Saxena (Bachchan's love interest) in the film. According to critic Subhash K. Jha, "Chopra has little to do. But she does it with eye-catching aplomb."
In addition to three special appearances, Chopra began 2006 by starring in Rakesh Roshan's superhero film Krrish (a sequel to the 2003 science-fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya). Co-starring with Hrithik Roshan, Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah, Chopra played a young television journalist who schemes to take advantage of an innocent young man with remarkable physical abilities. The film was a major box-office success, earned117 crore(s) (US$21 million) worldwide and was the second-highest-grossing film of the year in India. Her next film was Dharmesh Darshan's romantic comedy Aap Ki Khatir, co-starring Akshaye Khanna, Ameesha Patel and Dino Morea. The film was a commercial failure in India.
Chopra's final release of 2006 was Farhan Akhtar's action-thriller Don (a remake of the 1978 film of the same name), with Shahrukh Khan. Upon release the film was declared a box-office success in India and overseas, with revenues of105 crore(s) (US$19 million). Chopra portrayed Roma (played by Zeenat Aman
in the original film), who joins the underworld to avenge Don for
killing her brother. The actress received martial-arts training for her
role in the movie, and performed her own stunts.
Raja Sen of Rediff.com wrote that Chopra "is the film's big surprise.
Stepping into Zeenat Aman's shoes is a tough task, but she doesn't
really waste time pretending to be the stunner's successor. Chopra
handles her role with efficiency, looking every bit the competent woman
of action".
In 2007, Chopra had two films and one special appearance. Her first film was Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love, a romantic comedy in six chapters with an ensemble cast. She was featured in the first chapter, with Salman Khan, as Kamini, an item girl and aspiring actress who tries to land the lead role in a Karan Johar film with a publicity gimmick. Despite a promising opening, the movie was a financial failure and her performance was criticised. Her other release, the much-delayed Big Brother, also proved unsuccessful at the box office; it failed to propel her career, which appeared to be on a downslide.
Chopra's final film of the year was Tarun Mansukhani's romantic comedy Dostana, with Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham. Set in Miami, the film tells the story of a friendship between her character and two men (Bachchan and Abraham) who pretend to be gay to share an apartment with her. Chopra played "stylish and focused" young fashion-magazine editor Neha, who is trying to deal with professional pressures in her life. Produced by Dharma Productions, the film was a financial success with worldwide revenues of over86 crore(s) (US$16 million). Chopra received positive reviews for her performance and her beauty in the film; Khalid Mohammed found her "pretty convincing", and Gaurav Malani of Indiatimes wrote "Priyanka Chopra looks gorgeous and is perfectly poised in her performance." However, Outlook Profit
said that "You feel Priyanka Chopra's daring slits darted a wee bit too
much up her thighs in the frugal, figure hugging lehenga choli she
poured herself into."
The following year Chopra played a feisty Marathi woman named Sweety in Vishal Bhardwaj's caper thriller Kaminey (co-starring Shahid Kapoor), which looked at twin brothers linked with the underworld. Kaminey was a critical and commercial success, earning71 crore(s) (US$13 million) worldwide.
Her performance received positive reviews; Taran Adarsh described it as
"first-rate" and wrote, "She's so much in sync with her
character ... gets the Maharashtrian accent perfect." Her role earned her several awards and nominations, including a second Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination and an Apsara Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (her second consecutive win in that category).
Chopra subsequently appeared in Ashutosh Gowariker's romantic comedy What's Your Raashee?, based on the novel Kimball Ravenswood by Madhu Rye. The film depicts the story of a U.S.-based Gujrati NRI in search of his soulmate among twelve girls (all played by Chopra) associated with the twelve zodiac signs. She was considered for inclusion in the Guinness World Records book for being the first film actress to portray 12 distinct characters in one film. Reaction to the film was lukewarm, but Chopra's performance was praised by critics. Sukanya Verma, in a review for Rediff.com, wrote: "Priyanka Chopra transforms into 12 new skins with astonishing distinction, voice and spirit. The actress reinvents herself into this unique individual every single time ranging from batty, bashful and boisterous. This is simply her show." Chopra's heavy workload—filming for several productions, travelling for endorsements and performing at live shows (including the Miss India pageant)—took its toll; she fainted during filming, and was admitted to a hospital.
In 2010 Chopra starred with Uday Chopra in Jugal Hansraj's romantic comedy Pyaar Impossible! as Alisha, a beautiful college girl (and later a working mother) who falls in love with a nerdy boy. The film was a commercial and critical failure. Later that year, she co-starred with Ranbir Kapoor in Siddharth Anand's romantic comedy Anjaana Anjaani. The film (set in New York and Las Vegas) follows the story of two strangers, both trying to commit suicide, who eventually fall in love with each other. The film was a moderate commercial success, and her performance received mixed reviews from critics. Sarita Tanwar of Mid Day wrote, "Priyanka Chopra is at her casual and spontaneous best. She embraces the character completely and makes it totally believable" while Anupama Chopra dismissed her acting as "artificial".
Chopra turned down the role of Phaedra in Tarsem Singh's Hollywood fantasy film Immortals because it conflicted with the shooting schedule for her first film of 2011, Vishal Bhardwaj's black comedy 7 Khoon Maaf. Based on the short story "Susanna's Seven Husbands" by Ruskin Bond, the film centers on Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, an Anglo-Indian woman (played by Chopra) who murders her seven husbands in an unending quest for love. The film premiered at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival. 7 Khoon Maaf received a generally positive response from critics, and Chopra's performance was singled out for praise. Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India remarked, "7 Khoon Maaf would undoubtedly end up as a milestone in Priyanka Chopra's career graph. The actor displays exquisite command over a complex character that is definitely a first in Indian cinema." Chopra's performance earned her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and a third Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination at the 57th Filmfare Awards.
Chopra's final release of the year saw reprising her role as Roma in the second part of the Don film series, a sequel to 2006's Don entitled Don 2. Co-star Sahil Shroff has spoken of Chopra's professionalism during the production of the Don films, remarking that "she would be absolutely focused and alert on the sets. But after pack-up, she is a fun girl to hang around and party with." He has stated that Chopra was influential in his character development, assisting in "drawing and building" his character in her own way. Although the film received mixed reviews, Chopra's performance earned positive feedback from critics. According to The Express Tribune, "Chopra pulls off her role with aplomb and seems to be the perfect choice for an action heroine. As you watch her effortlessly beat up some thugs in the movie, you come to the realisation that she may be the first proper female action hero in Bollywood." A review by Divanee Magazine said that Chopra surprised, with a demeanor similar to Tomb Raider's Lara Croft. Don 2 was a major success in India and overseas, earning over206 crore(s) (US$38 million) worldwide. It set multiple box-office records, and was the highest-grossing Bollywood movie overseas in 2011. Don 2 was showcased at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival and (with Don) at the 2012 International Film Festival of Marrakech, Morocco.
Anurag Basu's Barfi!, with Ranbir Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz, was her final appearance of 2012. Set in the 1970s, the film tells the story of three people, two of whom are physically disabled. Chopra played Jhilmil Chatterjee, an autistic woman who falls in love with a deaf, mute man. Screenwriter Rituparno Ghosh considers it a "very, very brave" role to accept given how demanding it is for an actor to convincingly portray a woman suffering with autism. In order to fully prepare for the role, Chopra visited several mental institutions and spent time with autistic people. She said, "I had to research a little for the role because in India awareness about a condition such as autism is very low." The film received rave reviews from film critics and was a major commercial success, earning175 crore(s) (US$32 million) worldwide. Chopra received unanimous praise for her portrayal, which several reviewers regarded as her best performance to date. The Indo-Asian News Service
review said, "Priyanka Chopra as the autistic Jhilmil steals the show
from Ranbir, if that's possible. Her inherent glamorous personality
simply disappears into her character. We don't see the actress on screen
at all! We see only Jhilmil who reminds us in a very pleasant way of Sridevi in Sadma. This is one of the most flawless interpretations of a physical-psychological disability seen on celluloid." Chopra received another nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. The film was screened at the Busan and Marrakech International Film Festivals, and was chosen as India’s entry for the 85th Academy Awards.
Chopra's first release of 2013 was K. C. Bokadia's much-delayed Deewana Main Deewana, which had been filmed nearly a decade earlier. It received lackluster reviews, primarily due to its aged look and feel. She agreed to a special appearance in Shootout at Wadala in a song called "Babli Badmaash Hai", which will be her first item number. Film composer Anu Malik stated that the concept of the song and featuring Chopra came about when he was sitting in director Sanjay Gupta's office with lyrics writer Kumar, saying, "Suddenly I had a vision of Priyanka in front of me. She is really bubbly. So I used the word Babli." Gupta concurred with Malik, believing that it "could have only been Priyanka" to "recreate the magic of Zeenat Aman or Parveen Babi", but he had a hard time convincing Chopra to accept an appearance in an item number and she took six months to relent. The song, with a "70s vibe", was shot over the course of three or four days in Mumbai. Chopra was reportedly strict over the choice of song and footage, in that she frowned against the use of vulgar words or skin on show, and rejected the songs of various composers before deciding upon an appropriate number. She has filmed Apoorva Lakhia's Zanjeer, a remake of the 1973 Hindi film of the same name. It was shot in Hyderabad, and was filmed simultaneously in Telugu. It will be released under the title Toofan.
The actress has several projects under development. Chopra has confirmed that she will voice an aircraft in the Disney animation film Planes, a spinoff of the 2006 film Cars and its 2011 sequel Cars 2. She will also reprise her role of Priya in Rakesh Roshan's Krrish 3—a sequel to the 2006 superhero film Krrish—with Hrithik Roshan, Vivek Oberoi and Kangna Ranaut. She is also filming Ali Abbas Zafar's Gunday, co-starring Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor and produced by Yash Raj Films. According to the Hindustan Times, Parineeti Chopra was influential in getting her the role in Gunday. Chopra has said of her casting as a Bengali woman in the film, "I think Bengali girls are beautiful and bold and I love playing bold and beautiful girls. I am very happy to be playing Bengali characters". Chopra has been signed for Ekta Kapoor's next production, Milan Talkies, to be directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. She will also play the lead role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's biopic of world boxing champion and Olympic bronze medalist Mary Kom. To prepare for this role, she plans to spend time with Kom and receive four months of boxing training.
Chopra, was born in Jamshedpur to parents who were both physicians in the Indian army. Due to their occupations, she frequently travelled as a child, but considers Bareilly to be her real home, where she attended St. Maria Goretti College and then the Army Public School, after a period of living with an aunt in the United States. In 2000, her mother entered her into the Femina Miss India contest, in which she finished second and took the Femina Miss India World title. She was then entered into the Miss World pageant, where she was crowned Miss World 2000 and Miss World Continental Queen of Beauty—Asia & Oceania, becoming the fifth Indian to win the competition.
Although Chopra had aspirations to graduate with a degree in engineering or psychiatry, she accepted offers to join the Indian film industry, making her acting debut opposite Vijay in the Tamil film Thamizhan in 2002. The following year, she starred in The Hero, her first Hindi film release, and followed it with the box-office hit Andaaz, which won her the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award (shared with Lara Dutta) and a nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. She subsequently earned wide critical recognition for the role of a seductress in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz, winning her the Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role. Chopra starred in the 2006 blockbuster superhero film Krrish, (one of her biggest commercial successes to date) and established herself as a leading contemporary actress of Hindi Cinema. After a period with little acclaim, she was praised for her portrayal of a range of unconventional characters, including a troubled model in the 2008 drama Fashion, a serial killer in the 2011 neo-noir 7 Khoon Maaf, and an autistic woman in the 2012 romantic comedy Barfi!. CNN-IBN described Chopra "as one of the most powerful actresses in the current lot and someone who doesn't shy away from experimenting with roles within the realms of popular cinema", due to her considerable range of acting roles.
Chopra is regarded as one of the most popular celebrities in India and has been described as a style icon. Her personal and professional life has received substantial media attention. In addition to acting in films, she has participated in stage shows, hosted a reality show on television, and has written columns for India's national newspapers. In 2012, she released her first single "In My City", which, although a commercial success in India, was met with a mixed reaction from critics. Chopra has also engaged in philanthropic activities, and was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights on 10 August 2010.
Chopra had agreed to make her film debut in Abbas-Mustan's romantic thriller Humraaz, immediately after winning Miss India. However, the role went to another actress, despite the fact that the producers were willing to delay production to accommodate her pageant commitments, as Chopra was showing an interest in other films. She made her screen debut in the 2002 Tamil film Thamizhan as the love interest of the protagonist, played by Vijay. The film was praised for its wit and dialogue, although Chopra's character was seen as lacking in depth; Rediff.com asserted that she showed "no promise".
In 2003, Chopra made her Bollywood film debut as the second female lead opposite Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta in Anil Sharma's The Hero: Love Story of a Spy. Set against the backdrop of the Indian Army in Kashmir, the film tells the story of an agent and his fight against terrorism. The Hero was one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films that year, but received mixed reviews from critics. Later that year she appeared in Raj Kanwar's box-office success Andaaz with Akshay Kumar, again sharing the female lead (this time with the debuting Lara Dutta). Chopra played a "young and vivacious" girl, Jiya, who falls in love with Raj (played by Kumar). Her performance earned her a share of the Filmfare Best Female Debut Award (with Dutta) and a nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award. The Hindustan Times noted the glamour that she brought to the role, and Ashish Magotra, writing for Rediff.com, said that Chopra alone "clicks with the audience, thanks to her skimpy outfits."
Chopra's first three releases in 2004—Plan, Kismat, and Asambhav—performed poorly at the box-office. Chopra was typically cast during this earlier period as a "glamour quotient", in roles that were considered "forgettable" by film critic Joginder Tuteja. Later that year she starred with Salman Khan and Akshay Kumar in David Dhawan's romantic comedy Mujhse Shaadi Karogi, which was a commercial success (with worldwide gross earnings of over
56 crore(s) (US$10 million)) and the third-highest-grossing film of the year in India. In late 2004, she starred opposite Kumar and Kareena Kapoor in Abbas-Mustan's thriller Aitraaz.
Chopra considers her first role as an antagonist, portraying Soniya
Roy, an ambitious woman who accuses her employee of sexual harassment,
as the "biggest" learning experience in her career. The film was a success at the Indian box office, and Chopra's performance was critically acclaimed.
Author Rini Bhattacharya credited her for "bringing back the seductress
to the silver screen" for portraying a morally unscrupulous woman. The Hindustran Times
cited it as the film which "changed the ball game" for her, in that she
"dared to delve into the unknown and portrayed the role of a vamp with
aplomb." A reviewer writing for the BBC said, "Aitraaz
is Priyanka Chopra's film. As the deliciously wicked, gold digging,
scheming seductress, she chews up every scene she is in with her
magnetic screen presence." She earned a Filmfare Award for Best Performance in a Negative Role (also known as the Best Villain Award), becoming the second—and final—actress to win the award after Kajol;
the category was discontinued in 2008. Chopra also received a
nomination for the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her
performance.In 2005, Chopra appeared in six films. Three of them—Blackmail, Karam and Yakeen—were commercially unsuccessful. Shilpa Bharatan-Iyer of Rediff.com considered Blackmail to be a very predictable film and believed that her role as a police commissioner's wife was very limited from an acting viewpoint, saying, "Priyanka has three tasks in the film. She has to look beautiful. She has to tempt Rathore with a sultry come-hither dance. She has to spout tears and wail". Her performance in Yakeen was better received. Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama wrote that Chopra "is bound to win laurels yet again ... the actor is emerging as one of the finest talents in these fast-changing times". Chopra played the girlfriend of Akshay Kumar in Vipul Amrutlal Shah's family drama Waqt: The Race Against Time, the story of a small businessman (played by Amitabh Bachchan) who, hiding his illness, wants to teach his irresponsible son some lessons before he dies. During production, Chopra revisited Leh, a favourite childhood haunt, for the shooting of the song 'Subah hogi', and suffered an accident during the filming for the song 'Do Me A Favour Let's Play Holi' when she electrocuted herself, spending a day in hospital in recovery. The film was a moderate box-office success, and 'Do Me A Favour Let's Play Holi' was praised for having the "right mood, colour and energy required for a Holi song". Her next release was Suneel Darshan's romance Barsaat, co-starring Bobby Deol and Bipasha Basu. The film was a critical and commercial failure and Chopra's performance received mixed reviews. Omar Ahmed of the Birmingham Evening Mail described the film as a "hackneyed, cliche-ridden effort", and said that both "Basu and Chopra are both capable, but their performances, like the whole film, will be forgotten instantly". Taran Adarsh described her performance as "mechanical". Later that year, Rohan Sippy cast her with Abhishek Bachchan, Ritesh Deshmukh and Nana Patekar in the comedy Bluffmaster!. Chopra played independent working woman Simran Saxena (Bachchan's love interest) in the film. According to critic Subhash K. Jha, "Chopra has little to do. But she does it with eye-catching aplomb."
In addition to three special appearances, Chopra began 2006 by starring in Rakesh Roshan's superhero film Krrish (a sequel to the 2003 science-fiction film Koi... Mil Gaya). Co-starring with Hrithik Roshan, Rekha and Naseeruddin Shah, Chopra played a young television journalist who schemes to take advantage of an innocent young man with remarkable physical abilities. The film was a major box-office success, earned
117 crore(s) (US$21 million) worldwide and was the second-highest-grossing film of the year in India. Her next film was Dharmesh Darshan's romantic comedy Aap Ki Khatir, co-starring Akshaye Khanna, Ameesha Patel and Dino Morea. The film was a commercial failure in India.Chopra's final release of 2006 was Farhan Akhtar's action-thriller Don (a remake of the 1978 film of the same name), with Shahrukh Khan. Upon release the film was declared a box-office success in India and overseas, with revenues of
105 crore(s) (US$19 million). Chopra portrayed Roma (played by Zeenat Aman
in the original film), who joins the underworld to avenge Don for
killing her brother. The actress received martial-arts training for her
role in the movie, and performed her own stunts.
Raja Sen of Rediff.com wrote that Chopra "is the film's big surprise.
Stepping into Zeenat Aman's shoes is a tough task, but she doesn't
really waste time pretending to be the stunner's successor. Chopra
handles her role with efficiency, looking every bit the competent woman
of action".In 2007, Chopra had two films and one special appearance. Her first film was Nikhil Advani's Salaam-e-Ishq: A Tribute to Love, a romantic comedy in six chapters with an ensemble cast. She was featured in the first chapter, with Salman Khan, as Kamini, an item girl and aspiring actress who tries to land the lead role in a Karan Johar film with a publicity gimmick. Despite a promising opening, the movie was a financial failure and her performance was criticised. Her other release, the much-delayed Big Brother, also proved unsuccessful at the box office; it failed to propel her career, which appeared to be on a downslide.
Chopra's final film of the year was Tarun Mansukhani's romantic comedy Dostana, with Abhishek Bachchan and John Abraham. Set in Miami, the film tells the story of a friendship between her character and two men (Bachchan and Abraham) who pretend to be gay to share an apartment with her. Chopra played "stylish and focused" young fashion-magazine editor Neha, who is trying to deal with professional pressures in her life. Produced by Dharma Productions, the film was a financial success with worldwide revenues of over
86 crore(s) (US$16 million). Chopra received positive reviews for her performance and her beauty in the film; Khalid Mohammed found her "pretty convincing", and Gaurav Malani of Indiatimes wrote "Priyanka Chopra looks gorgeous and is perfectly poised in her performance." However, Outlook Profit
said that "You feel Priyanka Chopra's daring slits darted a wee bit too
much up her thighs in the frugal, figure hugging lehenga choli she
poured herself into."The following year Chopra played a feisty Marathi woman named Sweety in Vishal Bhardwaj's caper thriller Kaminey (co-starring Shahid Kapoor), which looked at twin brothers linked with the underworld. Kaminey was a critical and commercial success, earning
71 crore(s) (US$13 million) worldwide.
Her performance received positive reviews; Taran Adarsh described it as
"first-rate" and wrote, "She's so much in sync with her
character ... gets the Maharashtrian accent perfect." Her role earned her several awards and nominations, including a second Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination and an Apsara Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (her second consecutive win in that category).Chopra subsequently appeared in Ashutosh Gowariker's romantic comedy What's Your Raashee?, based on the novel Kimball Ravenswood by Madhu Rye. The film depicts the story of a U.S.-based Gujrati NRI in search of his soulmate among twelve girls (all played by Chopra) associated with the twelve zodiac signs. She was considered for inclusion in the Guinness World Records book for being the first film actress to portray 12 distinct characters in one film. Reaction to the film was lukewarm, but Chopra's performance was praised by critics. Sukanya Verma, in a review for Rediff.com, wrote: "Priyanka Chopra transforms into 12 new skins with astonishing distinction, voice and spirit. The actress reinvents herself into this unique individual every single time ranging from batty, bashful and boisterous. This is simply her show." Chopra's heavy workload—filming for several productions, travelling for endorsements and performing at live shows (including the Miss India pageant)—took its toll; she fainted during filming, and was admitted to a hospital.
In 2010 Chopra starred with Uday Chopra in Jugal Hansraj's romantic comedy Pyaar Impossible! as Alisha, a beautiful college girl (and later a working mother) who falls in love with a nerdy boy. The film was a commercial and critical failure. Later that year, she co-starred with Ranbir Kapoor in Siddharth Anand's romantic comedy Anjaana Anjaani. The film (set in New York and Las Vegas) follows the story of two strangers, both trying to commit suicide, who eventually fall in love with each other. The film was a moderate commercial success, and her performance received mixed reviews from critics. Sarita Tanwar of Mid Day wrote, "Priyanka Chopra is at her casual and spontaneous best. She embraces the character completely and makes it totally believable" while Anupama Chopra dismissed her acting as "artificial".
Chopra turned down the role of Phaedra in Tarsem Singh's Hollywood fantasy film Immortals because it conflicted with the shooting schedule for her first film of 2011, Vishal Bhardwaj's black comedy 7 Khoon Maaf. Based on the short story "Susanna's Seven Husbands" by Ruskin Bond, the film centers on Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, an Anglo-Indian woman (played by Chopra) who murders her seven husbands in an unending quest for love. The film premiered at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival. 7 Khoon Maaf received a generally positive response from critics, and Chopra's performance was singled out for praise. Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India remarked, "7 Khoon Maaf would undoubtedly end up as a milestone in Priyanka Chopra's career graph. The actor displays exquisite command over a complex character that is definitely a first in Indian cinema." Chopra's performance earned her the Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress and a third Filmfare Award for Best Actress nomination at the 57th Filmfare Awards.
Chopra's final release of the year saw reprising her role as Roma in the second part of the Don film series, a sequel to 2006's Don entitled Don 2. Co-star Sahil Shroff has spoken of Chopra's professionalism during the production of the Don films, remarking that "she would be absolutely focused and alert on the sets. But after pack-up, she is a fun girl to hang around and party with." He has stated that Chopra was influential in his character development, assisting in "drawing and building" his character in her own way. Although the film received mixed reviews, Chopra's performance earned positive feedback from critics. According to The Express Tribune, "Chopra pulls off her role with aplomb and seems to be the perfect choice for an action heroine. As you watch her effortlessly beat up some thugs in the movie, you come to the realisation that she may be the first proper female action hero in Bollywood." A review by Divanee Magazine said that Chopra surprised, with a demeanor similar to Tomb Raider's Lara Croft. Don 2 was a major success in India and overseas, earning over
206 crore(s) (US$38 million) worldwide. It set multiple box-office records, and was the highest-grossing Bollywood movie overseas in 2011. Don 2 was showcased at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival and (with Don) at the 2012 International Film Festival of Marrakech, Morocco.Anurag Basu's Barfi!, with Ranbir Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz, was her final appearance of 2012. Set in the 1970s, the film tells the story of three people, two of whom are physically disabled. Chopra played Jhilmil Chatterjee, an autistic woman who falls in love with a deaf, mute man. Screenwriter Rituparno Ghosh considers it a "very, very brave" role to accept given how demanding it is for an actor to convincingly portray a woman suffering with autism. In order to fully prepare for the role, Chopra visited several mental institutions and spent time with autistic people. She said, "I had to research a little for the role because in India awareness about a condition such as autism is very low." The film received rave reviews from film critics and was a major commercial success, earning
175 crore(s) (US$32 million) worldwide. Chopra received unanimous praise for her portrayal, which several reviewers regarded as her best performance to date. The Indo-Asian News Service
review said, "Priyanka Chopra as the autistic Jhilmil steals the show
from Ranbir, if that's possible. Her inherent glamorous personality
simply disappears into her character. We don't see the actress on screen
at all! We see only Jhilmil who reminds us in a very pleasant way of Sridevi in Sadma. This is one of the most flawless interpretations of a physical-psychological disability seen on celluloid." Chopra received another nomination for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress. The film was screened at the Busan and Marrakech International Film Festivals, and was chosen as India’s entry for the 85th Academy Awards.Chopra's first release of 2013 was K. C. Bokadia's much-delayed Deewana Main Deewana, which had been filmed nearly a decade earlier. It received lackluster reviews, primarily due to its aged look and feel. She agreed to a special appearance in Shootout at Wadala in a song called "Babli Badmaash Hai", which will be her first item number. Film composer Anu Malik stated that the concept of the song and featuring Chopra came about when he was sitting in director Sanjay Gupta's office with lyrics writer Kumar, saying, "Suddenly I had a vision of Priyanka in front of me. She is really bubbly. So I used the word Babli." Gupta concurred with Malik, believing that it "could have only been Priyanka" to "recreate the magic of Zeenat Aman or Parveen Babi", but he had a hard time convincing Chopra to accept an appearance in an item number and she took six months to relent. The song, with a "70s vibe", was shot over the course of three or four days in Mumbai. Chopra was reportedly strict over the choice of song and footage, in that she frowned against the use of vulgar words or skin on show, and rejected the songs of various composers before deciding upon an appropriate number. She has filmed Apoorva Lakhia's Zanjeer, a remake of the 1973 Hindi film of the same name. It was shot in Hyderabad, and was filmed simultaneously in Telugu. It will be released under the title Toofan.
The actress has several projects under development. Chopra has confirmed that she will voice an aircraft in the Disney animation film Planes, a spinoff of the 2006 film Cars and its 2011 sequel Cars 2. She will also reprise her role of Priya in Rakesh Roshan's Krrish 3—a sequel to the 2006 superhero film Krrish—with Hrithik Roshan, Vivek Oberoi and Kangna Ranaut. She is also filming Ali Abbas Zafar's Gunday, co-starring Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor and produced by Yash Raj Films. According to the Hindustan Times, Parineeti Chopra was influential in getting her the role in Gunday. Chopra has said of her casting as a Bengali woman in the film, "I think Bengali girls are beautiful and bold and I love playing bold and beautiful girls. I am very happy to be playing Bengali characters". Chopra has been signed for Ekta Kapoor's next production, Milan Talkies, to be directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia. She will also play the lead role in Sanjay Leela Bhansali's biopic of world boxing champion and Olympic bronze medalist Mary Kom. To prepare for this role, she plans to spend time with Kom and receive four months of boxing training.
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