The One We Can Be Heroes Scene That Makes Us Love Priyanka Chopra Jonas Even More
This content was paid for by Netflix and created by Looper.
In the world of Robert Rodriquez's superhero action-comedy We Can Be Heroes, not all heroes wear capes. Some don't even have superpowers. Just look at Ms. Granada, played by former Miss World winner, Bollywood sensation, and Hollywood star Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Granada doesn't have a costume, a code name, or special abilities, but when the world needs the Heroics, there's no one better to lead the charge.
That's clear from Chopra Jonas' very first scene. After an alien spacecraft defeats two of Earth's most powerful heroes, Miracle Guy and Tech-No, the Heroics learn that more ships are on the way. Like, a lot more. And so, the Heroics' support staff leaps into action — and from the very beginning, there's no doubt who's running the show. Ms. Grenada may not be on the front lines, but she's the one calling all of the shots.
First, Grenada assesses the threat. Next, she tries to find the best team of heroes to take on the extraterrestrial invaders. Blinding Fast and Crushing Low? Sharkboy or Lavagirl? But no, two heroes aren't enough. And so, Granada makes the tough call: she sends in all of them. To do that, she makes demands of the president. She tells the semi-retired superhero Marcus Moreno to suit up and get back into the field. Despite his protests, it's not a request.
In a single scene, we see that both Granada and Chopra Jonas are forces to be reckoned with. Watching her, it's impossible not to be impressed.
Innate toughness
From the moment that Ms. Granada struts into the Heroics' command center, she radiates authority. That doesn't let up as the scene goes on, either. Granada is a woman who calls the president while he's still asleep, and who forces one of the most respected superheroes on the planet to break a solemn vow to his only daughter. That is someone you do not want to mess with.
Chopra Jonas' forceful charisma is striking for viewers who haven't seen her before, but it's been a running theme throughout her acting career. In her breakout movie, Aitraaz, Chopra Jonas plays a woman who stops at nothing in her hunt for power. She doesn't think twice about terminating her pregnancy, arguing that it will hinder her career. She marries an older man for his money, and when her former lover refuses her sexual overtures, she accuses him of harassment. Similarly, in 7 Khoon Maaf, Chopra Jonas stars as Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, who has no qualms about killing each of her six husbands when their personality flaws prove too much to deal with.
Chopra Jonas shows the same fortitude, grit, and resolve when she plays heroes, too. For Mary Kom, in which she plays the real-life boxer who's famous for winning eight World Championship medals — more than anyone else ever — Chopra Jonas nabbed all kinds of award-seasons gold. On the TV thriller Quantico, Chopra Jonas starred for three seasons as Alex Parrish, a tough-as-nails FBI agent, terror suspect, and, ultimately, CIA operative. If you want steely strength, you cast Chopra Jonas. She never fails to deliver.
Funny, but subtle
Of course, Chopra Jonas doesn't only play hard, unyielding badasses. Over the course of her almost-20-year career, she's appeared in everything from superhero thrillers like Krrish and its sequel to epic historical dramas to, yes, quite a few comedies. Just look at Chopra Jonas' performances in movies like Barfi!, Baywatch, and Isn't it Romantic, or her hilarious social media posts and talk show appearances. When it comes to comedy, she has the chops.
That's important, because while Ms. Granada isn't funny, We Can Be Heroes is. For Chopra Jones, that means she has to tread a very fine line. Lean too much into Granada's hard edges, and she becomes too serious for a lighthearted action-adventure movie. Go too far the other way, and she becomes a cartoon, losing the ferocity that makes her special.
As this scene proves, Chopra Jonas found the perfect balance. Ms. Granada doesn't have any straight-up jokes in this scene, but the humor comes across in the way she moves and the way she talks. Look at her epic eye rolls whenever a subordinate shoots down her ideas. Listen to the way she dismissively quips, "Okay, so we'll send three," when she's informed that two heroes won't get the job done, before tagging a pitch-perfectly annoyed, "Happy?" on the end. This is the work of an experienced comedienne, and yet it doesn't dilute the character at all. If anything, it gives her even more layers.
Inspiring us to be better
The emotional highpoint of this scene comes at the end, when Ms. Granada convinces Marcus Moreno to rejoin the Heroics. Yes, Granada has authority over the hero. Yes, as she points out, she's not merely asking. And yet, Granada doesn't start off by exercising her power. She appeals to Marcus' better nature. It's not just the fate of the world that's at stake. It's the lives of Marcus' fellow heroes. The lives of his friends. By the time Granada growls, "That is an order," Marcus already knows what he has to do.
Again, this is a theme that pops up again and again in Chopra Jonas' career. In addition to her foundation, which pays for children's education, many of her movies are about working to overcome adversity and become a better person. Mary Kom, for example, had to overcome an indifferent coach, a disapproving family, and a non-stop parade of powerful opponents in order to make her dreams a reality. In Madhur Bhandarkar's Fashion, Chopra Jonas plays a model who struggles to maintain her decency, reputation, and health while navigating the cutthroat world of high fashion. In Bajirau Mastani, she's a noble's wife whose marriage is shattered when he has an affair — and yet, when her husband's mistresses' life is threatened, she steps up to save her anyway.
Not every character that Chopra Jonas plays is aspirational, but there are enough of them on her filmography to make her a legitimate role model, which makes her a great fit for We Can Be Heroes. Striving to make yourself better is what the movie is all about — and as this scene shows, nobody's better at giving you a push than Chopra Jonas. After all, in this case, she leads by example.