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Last updated:Dec 12, 2024 00:33 IST

Priyanka Chopra was at a funeral, dressed in a simple white salwar kameez, when Rakesh Roshan spotted her. He was intrigued by her simplicity.

Priyanka Chopra is busy with Citadel 2. (Photo credits:

Priyanka Chopra’s journey into Bollywood is one of hard work and serendipity. Starting her career at a young age with no industry connections, Priyanka recently recalled a fascinating story of how she got cast in Krrish (2006), starring Hrithik Roshan. At the Red Sea International Film Festival (RSIFF), the actress shared how filmmaker Rakesh Roshan first noticed her at a funeral, which led to her playing the female lead in the film.

Priyanka was at a funeral, dressed in a simple white salwar kameez, when Rakesh Roshan spotted her. He was intrigued by her simplicity and authenticity, which piqued his interest. Roshan immediately asked directors Abbas-Mustan, who worked with Priyanka on Aitraaz (2004), to show him some rushes of her performance.

Priyanka recalls, “I was terrified that I would never get the role, because the Priya in Krrish was super innocent, just not worldly, and believed in the goodness of people, the kind of person, and Sonia in Aitraaz was the exact opposite: she would eat you alive.”

Despite her fears, Priyanka was cast in the role, with Rakesh Roshan explaining, “I wasn’t looking at the character you were playing, I was looking at how authentic you were in your scenes, and you were a great actor.” I knew you could play anything.”

Priyanka also shared a valuable lesson she learned from her role as Sonia in Aitraaz. Reflecting on her performance, she said, “I learned a very important lesson in my career, which is not to judge characters. As an actress, I play a lot of different types of people, but when I start judging what those people do, I can’t play them authentically.”

The roles of Sonia and Priya played an important role in shaping Priyanka’s career. Despite the challenges, her dedication to these diverse roles laid the foundation for her successful career in Bollywood and beyond.