Parineeti Chopra : Indian film actress who appears in Hindi films

Parineeti Chopra (born 22 October 1988) is an Indian film actress who appears in Hindi films. Chopra wanted to become an investment banker, but after obtaining a triple honours degree (in business, finance and economics) from Manchester Business School she returned to India during the 2009 economic recession and joined Yash Raj Films as a public relations consultant. Later, she signed a three-film deal with the company as an actress.

Chopra made her screen debut with a supporting role in the 2011 romantic comedy Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, which was moderately successful at the box office. Her portrayal of a Delhi-based rich brat, Dimple Chadda, drew critical appreciation. Chopra went on to win the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. The following year she was the lead  in the romantic drama Ishaqzaade, a critical and commercial success. Chopra's performance won wide critical acclaim, earning several nominations in the Best Actress category (including Filmfare) and won the National Film Award – Special Mention at the 60th National Film Awards.

As of April 2013, Chopra has several projects in production, and is filming Maneesh Sharma's next film. In addition to acting in films, she is active in humanitarian work, has a number of endorsement deals and is regarded as one of the most promising actresses in Hindi cinema.

While working on promotions for Band Baaja Baaraat, Chopra realised that she wanted to become an actress and decided to resign from her executive position with Yash Raj Films to attend acting school. Film director Maneesh Sharma suggested signing Chopra to Aditya Chopra, vice-president of Yash Raj Films. Appalled by the idea of recruiting someone from his marketing team as an actress, the vice-president refused. When Parineeti Chopra told Sharma she was leaving her job to attend acting school he advised her to meet the company's casting director, who asked her to do a "dummy audition for fun". Chopra remembered "fooling around with a camera" and delivering lines by the character Geet from the film Jab We Met, never expecting producer Aditya Chopra to see the tape. However, when the producer saw the tape he was impressed with her acting. With Sharma describing her "phenomenal" in the screen test, Chopra was signed to a three-film deal; Chopra's colleagues later told her she was a "misfit in an office situation".

In 2011 Chopra made her screen debut in the romantic comedy Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, in a supporting role with Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma. The film describes how three girls who are tricked by a con artist avenge him by plotting the same trick for him. Chopra played the Delhi-based "rich and spoiled brat" Dimple Chadda, who is betrayed by the film's central character. The film received mixed reviews from critics, and was moderately successful at the box office; however, Chopra's performance was praised by film critics. Komal Nahta said, "Of the three other girls, Parineeti Chopra is undoubtedly the best. She has the best role, the best lines and hers is the best performance among the three. In fact, she provides a lot of light moments in the first half and, more importantly, in the second half too". Priyanka Roy of The Telegraph described Chopra as "natural" and wrote "Among the ladies, debutante Parineeti almost steals the show from Anushka. As a spoilt and nouveau-riche Delhi girl." The film earned her several awards, including the Filmfare Award, the Screen Award, the Apsara Award and the IIFA Award for best debut. Chopra also received nominations in the supporting category and won the Apsara and IIFA Awards for best supporting actress.

Chopra's second release, and her first lead role, was Habib Faisal's romantic drama Ishaqzaade with Arjun Kapoor. The film revolves around two political families, whose rivalry (and mutual hatred) go back generations. Chopra played the boisterous and feisty tomboy Zoya, a Muslim girl who marries a Hindu boy and gives birth to new rivalry in both families. The film received positive reviews from critics, and Chopra earned critical acclaim for her performance. Taran Adarsh observed, "Parineeti Chopra is simply fantastic in this high-voltage drama. Playing the part of a spirited gun-toting girl, she is not the regular timid, decorous, withdrawn Hindi film heroine. She portrays the violent behavior coupled with the audacious and brash attitude with aplomb" and Reviewer Mrigank Dhaniwala of Koimoi added that "Parineeti Chopra, whom we loved in Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, shines again in a complex and intense role. She looks very good and acts like a song. Arjun and Parineeti’s on-screen chemistry and excellent performances are the highlights of the film." Film critic Rajeev Masand lebelled her the "biggest strength of the film". The film grossed over 46 crore(s) (US$8.4 million) at the domestic box office, and was credited as a super hit. Chopra earned a National Film Award – Special Mention at the 60th National Film Awards, receiving her first nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, Screen and Apsara awards.

As of April 2013, Chopra is filming Maneesh Sharma's next film, with Sushant Singh Rajput. She has signed for the Anurag Kashyap-Karan Johar co-production Hasee Toh Phasee with Siddharth Malhotra, her first project outside Yash Raj Films. The actress has also signed for Shaad Ali's Kill Dil, with Ranveer Singh and Ali Zafar, describing it as the first "glamorous" role of her career.