Why Pinky Madam From The White Tiger Looks So Familiar
Netflix's newest movie features a predominantly Southeast Asian cast, but you might recognize one of its stars from some pretty high profile Stateside projects.
The White Tiger, based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Aravind Adiga, is directed by Ramin Bahrani and stars newcomer Adarsh Gourav as young Balram Halwai, who works his way up the professional ladder in modern-day India. Along the way, he meets a wealthy couple, Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), who hire him as a servant. However, after the couple treats him poorly, Balram soon learns to manipulate them — and the entire system itself — for his own gain.
If you're a fan of Bollywood films, you likely recognize Chopra, who has starred in this Indian cinematic genre for years. However, she's also appeared in several Hollywood projects, as well as a major primetime drama, and has a ton of projects on the horizon. Here's why Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who plays Pinky Madam in The White Tiger, looks so familiar.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas led Quantico for three seasons
After achieving monumental success in Bollywood films, Chopra made the jump to American television with ABC's Quantico, introducing her to audiences who weren't as familiar with Indian cinema. Chopra led the series, which debuted in 2015, as Alex Parrish, a recent graduate from the FBI's training program who suddenly finds herself as the main suspect in an enormous terrorist attack. During the show's first season, Chopra acted throughout two timelines — one during her training and one that sees her on the run from the FBI — before the show narrowed to one timeline beginning in the second season.
Though the series was cancelled after three seasons, Chopra won rave reviews for her leading role, with critics writing that she was an undeniable star on the rise. Quantico might not have lasted very long, but ultimately, it propelled Chopra to stardom, paving the way for some pretty big film roles.
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has appeared in some huge Hollywood projects
In the aftermath of Quantico, Chopra found herself in demand, and while still acting in Bollywood projects, she made her live-action film debut stateside in 2017 alongside Zac Efron and Dwayne Johnson in the big-screen reboot of Baywatch. Chopra played an important supporting role as Victoria Leeds, the film's primary villain, and though the movie itself was panned soundly by critics, it was clearly an important stepping stone in her film career.
Luckily, Chopra would follow Baywatch with some better films. In 2018, she appeared in the Sundance hit A Kid Like Jake with Claire Danes and Jim Parsons. In 2019, she earned positive reviews for her supporting turn in the Rebel Wilson-led romantic comedy spoof Isn't It Romantic, with reviewers calling her "perfectly cast." In 2020, Chopra only appeared in one film: We Can Be Heroes, Robert Rodriguez's sequel to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava-Girl 3D, alongside Pedro Pascal, Boyd Holbrook, and Christian Slater.
There's plenty on the horizon for Priyanka Chopra Jonas
After taking both Bollywood, Hollywood, and the small screen by storm, Chopra has a ton of new projects lined up. Perhaps the most exciting is her role in the long-awaited fourth Matrix film, though her role and the movie itself are both largely shrouded in mystery.
Aside from The Matrix 4, Chopra is set to appear in Text for You, a drama that also stars Celine Dion and Outlander's Sam Heughan, and will also join Game of Thrones star Richard Madden for the Amazon series Citadel. She'll also team up with Amazon again for Sheela, a film about the spiritual guru Ma Anand Sheela; Chopra will produce and star in the movie.
Going forward, Chopra has even more projects on the horizon, including a currently untitled romantic comedy about Indian weddings with Mindy Kaling, as well as a biopic of the lawyer Vanita Gupta in Tulia. All in all, it's clear that Chopra will be an unstoppable force for years to come, with such a heavy slate of huge film and television projects.
Right now, you can check out Chopra's performance in The White Tiger, which hit Netflix on January 22, 2021.