‘Priyanka Chopra never seemed vulnerable even though her father was going through cancer,' co-star reveals Chopra's resilience while filming

Indian Express

28-05-2025

Actor Priyanka Chopra has made a name for herself in several different avenues within the entertainment industry, from iconic roles as an actor to collaborations with mega pop stars and transcending the international boundary as a celebrity. Chopra certainly has a number of impressive notches on her belt. One of Chopra's co-stars from the 2008 movie Fashion, Arjan Bajwa, recently opened up about working with the actor while both of them were going through personal turmoil.
While talking to Siddharth Kannan on his podcast, Bajwa talked about losing his father, politician SS Bajwa, and not being able to go back to work after. Arjan's father was attacked by a horde of monkeys on the terrace of his home, and he lost balance and fell down from the top. The actor revealed that director Madhur Bhandharkar decided to lay his bets on him and cast him in Fashion, giving the actor a second chance in the industry. He said, 'He gave me an opportunity when all doors were closed to me, and that's why I will always hold him in the highest regard. I tell him to this day that when I was out of everything, he said to me, 'Come on board.''
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Even though he had a great opportunity on his hands, the actor admitted that he was going through the movie 'half-heartedly', and everyone on the set was aware of what he was going through. He shared that among all the people present, he found a friend in his co-star Chopra, who was going through troubles on the personal front as well. 'Priyanka and I were sitting and talking while the shot was getting ready, and her father had just been diagnosed with cancer. We were sitting together and discussing our fathers, and she was also going through something very difficult, but she is a very strong girl, and I never saw her vulnerable or breaking down on the set.'
He doubled down on his praise for Chopra and talked about sharing that difficult time with her. 'One can say that the turmoil and talking about it laid a foundation for our friendship. We had mutual respect for each other; she ismely hard-working, and she deserves everything that she has achieved in her life,' added Arjan. Directed by Madhur Bhandarkar, the cast of Fashion also included Kangana Ranaut, Mudha Godse, Arbaaz Khan and Kitu Gadwani.
Chopra will next be seen in the action-comedy Head of States, alongside Idris Elba and John Cena.