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Priyanka Chopra Jonas ON: This ONE SECRET Will Make You SUCCESSFUL In Life! | Jay Shetty

On this episode of On Purpose with Jay Shetty, Jay Shetty speaks with actor, producer and author Priyanka Chopra Jonas about creating a unique career path and her new memoir, Unfinished.

Priyanka Chopra JonasguestJay Shettyhost
Feb 8, 202154mWatch on YouTube

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Transcript

  1. 0:00 – 3:03

    Welcome and Meeting Priyanka Chopra Jonas

    1. PJ

      Otherwise, I think like you've gotta sometimes, you have to push the envelope.

    2. JS

      Yeah.

    3. PJ

      There's been too many generations that have been defined by what people think, you know, we can achieve or, you know, limitations that have been imposed because of people not being able to think or dream big enough. Um, and I think it's every generation's responsibility to show the endless possibilities do exist.

    4. JS

      Hey, everyone. Welcome back to On Purpose, the number one health podcast in the world, thanks to each and every single one of you that come back every week to listen, learn, and grow. Today's guest is someone that I've been looking forward to interviewing for a very long time. I believe that she was actually one of the first names on my list when I launched the podcast two years ago of someone that I was really excited to sit down with. So to me, this is a super special moment, and I think you're in for a real treat. Today's guest is the one and only Priyanka Chopra, and today we're talking about her new memoir, Unfinished. For the two people who are listening who don't know who Priyanka is, Priyanka's an actor, singer, and film producer. She's been in the entertainment industry for over 20 years that spans both the East and West. Her Bollywood superstardom began when she won Miss World 2000, and she hasn't slowed down since. From starting her own production company and now having so many successful hit movies and TV shows in the US, and of course, most recently marrying her beloved Nick Jonas, Priyanka's story is remarkable, to say the least, and you can pick up her book, Unfinished, on February 9th. Please welcome to the show, On Purpose, Priyanka Chopra. Jonas. [laughs]

    5. PJ

      Thank you so- [laughs] It's all right. Everyone forgets that. [laughs]

    6. JS

      Sorry, Nick.

    7. PJ

      You know, but I-

    8. JS

      Sorry, Nick

    9. PJ

      ... you know, it's, it's a, it's a new addition, and, um, it's, you know, I've had 35 years of my life as just Priyanka Chopra. Most people know me as just that, so you know, it's gonna take a second. It's fine. [laughs]

    10. JS

      [laughs] I, I, and I've been watching you for so many years, since I was, since I was a kid, and obviously you were, you were a kid, too, uh, when, when you started in the industry. And so I've been hearing your name and saying your name for so long. Uh, but no, no offense, Nick, my wife is also the same. She, she has, uh, she has my name last on her name, too, so people forget me all the time.

    11. PJ

      [laughs]

    12. JS

      Uh, so we have something in common. Uh, but-

    13. PJ

      But it's not really forgetting you, Jay. It's forgetting your last name. There's a difference.

    14. JS

      True. True.

    15. PJ

      [laughs]

    16. JS

      Thank you. Thank you for the clarification. That, that makes my, my ego feel a bit better. Uh, but honestly, it's, it's such a joy to have you here. I meant what I said when we first launched the podcast. You were, you were one of the first names that I wrote down as someone that I was excited to speak with. And I saw a few days ago on Instagram you posted a picture of yourself at age 17. And it was, it was a great throwback.

    17. PJ

      [laughs]

  2. 3:03 – 5:51

    Advice Across Time: Her 17-Year-Old Self

    1. JS

      And, and I was wondering two things. The first thing is what is a piece of advice that you wish you had at 17, and the other way around. Is there a piece of advice or wisdom that your 17-year-old self would potentially share with you now, uh, where you are today?

    2. PJ

      Yeah. I have actually answers for both. Um, what I would tell that 17-year-old, you know, I was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed. I'd just been selected into the Miss India Pageant. I'd just turned 17, and I was like, "Oh my gosh, I'm gonna be a model," and I'd never thought about that. My teenage vanity was peaked. And, um, what I would have told that girl is, you know, um, "Just breathe, and just chill a little." I was very hard on myself because everything that I sort of, everything that I've made so far, you know, with the encouragement of my family, has kind of been self-made, you know? I've, I had to learn on the job. Nobody... I didn't know anything. I came from, in high school in an engineering background. Um, or I wanted to be an engineer. Um, and life just kind of had other plans, and you know, you kind of, are you gonna swim? Are you gonna sink? And I will always swim. So I've just kind of i- i- it's, I think that what I would tell, I used to really take it very seriously. I berated myself a lot, and I was hard on myself, and I would tell my younger self, "Chill out. Time heals everything. It'll all be fine." And what she would probably tell me is to not get caught up in, um, in my schedule and in the multiple things that I juggle and not forget the excitement, um, of doing what I'm doing. Sometimes it's hard, you know? After you do it for such a long time, um, you have to remind yourself to be excited and be inspired and, you know, feel sort of alive instead of it being a job. And, um, yeah, I think that's what she would tell me.

    3. JS

      I love that. That's a beau- both of those are beautiful answers, and I wanted to ask that to you because I think often we think like, oh, we have the wisdom now, and we can advise our younger selves. But in the way you shared your answer, there's, there's so much wisdom coming back, and, and I think that's a great reminder for everyone. Now, I saw a video again on your Instagram where you just received the book a couple of days ago. I had the digital version up until this morning when I finally, uh, got the physical version. So I've been, uh, flicking through on the digital version. It's nice to have it physically here. I, I'm intrigued that, you know, what chapter of your life, you spoke about excitement there,

  3. 5:51 – 10:31

    Writing the Memoir: Revisiting Childhood

    1. JS

      what chapter of your life was the most exciting to reflect and write upon? Because it's such a fascinating thing to, to write a memoir, uh, but which one? Which part of it was your favorite of going through?

    2. PJ

      Um, my childhood, 'cause I hadn't thought about it for a really long time. You know? I was... In fact, just writing the memoir was so healing and weirdly, um, sort of inspiring. I, I just remember never remembering, you know? I sat down to write it, and I had never thought about what had happened in my life. I never looked back. I was only running, you know? Um, as you know, um, the entertainment business, our jobs are very transitory. You know? It's not consistent. It's not stable. What you are, uh, as much as your next job, you don't know where your next check's coming from. You don't know where you're going to be moving. Um, so you know, there's a constant, like, hustle and you're running all the time, and I just never looked. And, um, when I started writing the book, I was forced to look. And I was very excited to write about my childhood because I could taste it. I could smell it. I, I remember, um, those mogra flowers, the Raat ki Rani that used to be in all the army barracks. I remember, um, you know, the feeling of the, the cold walls. They used to always be white, the garden, my bike, um, moving to a new city every two years. It was, that was, it was such an, um, a time of adventure for me and a time of sort of unlimited possibilities, you know? Um, and I was raised with that. My parents always made me feel like I could, the world is my oyster, you know? I can go anywhere I want. Um, and that was such a time of wonder, you know?

    3. JS

      Yeah. Well, it's, it's beautiful that you have such strong, vivid memories, and it sounds like, and, and I'm thinking about our audience that's listening and watching or, or will listen and watch this afterwards, it sounds like everyone needs to revisit their childhood or remember and, and write a memoir. Even if it's not a memoir that gets published and goes out to the world, it almost feels like reflecting's really important. What, what helped you? Were you speaking to friends from back then, or were you speaking to your... You know, who, who were you connecting with to, to reignite some of those memories?

    4. PJ

      Oh, everyone in the memories. [laughs] You know?

    5. JS

      Yeah.

    6. PJ

      I called my mom, my brother, um, my cousins who I grew up with, friends from the time. I corroborated the stories because memory is a weird thing, you know? I remember it a certain way. Somebody else remembers it a certain way.

    7. JS

      [laughs]

    8. PJ

      And there was this one story I remember. I was kicked out of MoMA for touching a painting when I was 15, 16 or something.

    9. JS

      [laughs]

    10. PJ

      And I remember that day being wonderful 'cause we went to the Statue of Liberty after and, like, you know, um, we, we got hot dogs, and we were walking around New York City. And I remember it being like, "Oh, I touched, you know, a painting. That's so cool that I touched..." I think it was The Starry Night. And [laughs] -

    11. JS

      [laughs]

    12. PJ

      ... my cousins who were with me remember the day completely differently. They were tortured, embarrassed. My cousin, who's an art student, she was like, "You got me kicked out of MoMA," and like, I was like, "Wow, I didn't remember that at all." [laughs]

    13. JS

      [laughs] Well, was... [laughs] That's brilliant. Was that your, was that your rebellious side, or was that a mistake?

    14. PJ

      Neither.

    15. JS

      Or was it cur-

    16. PJ

      I was just curious. [laughs]

    17. JS

      Curious, yeah. [laughs]

    18. PJ

      I just, I feel like rules sometimes... And trust me, I mean, I'm in a public profession. I have to follow them. But, um, you know, sometimes we conform to rules that just sort of stop our ability to grow. And-

    19. JS

      Yeah

    20. PJ

      ... unless it's, like, hurting someone or something, which by touching Starry Night, I probably was hurting the painting. [laughs]

    21. JS

      [laughs]

    22. PJ

      Um, but at that time I didn't know. Um, but-

    23. JS

      Well, the value of the painting, the value of the painting just went up. [laughs]

    24. PJ

      [laughs]

    25. JS

      It just went up. [laughs]

    26. PJ

      But, you know, like, I, I otherwise I think, like, you've gotta sometimes, you have to push the envelope.

    27. JS

      Yeah.

    28. PJ

      There's been too many generations that have been defined by what people think, you know, we can achieve or, you know, limitations that have been imposed because of people not being able to think or dream big enough. Um, and I think it's every generation's responsibility to show the endless possibilities to the next.

  4. 10:31 – 13:57

    Pushing the Envelope and Where Confidence Comes From

    1. JS

      Yeah. You've definitely done that. I mean, you're, you're constantly breaking rules in, in your career and your journey, starting from touching that painting at MoMA all the way through today. But te- was that, was that an energy and a mindset that you believe you had at that young age, or is that something you think you gradually developed? Where did that confidence come from? Because when I hear you say it today, it comes with confidence. Obviously, it comes with having done it, and I think there are a lot of people out there who may feel that way, but they then also feel insecure that, are they the right person to do that? Do they have permission to do that? There's, there's something that then still holds them back. What was it for you that allowed you to go all the way?

    2. PJ

      Well, two things. Um, my parents for sure. I grew up in an environment where I was not shamed for my ideas.

    3. JS

      Mm.

    4. PJ

      Um, at 12 years old, I told my parents I wanted to live in America with my aunt, and you know, my parents were like, "Bye. Peace."

    5. JS

      [laughs]

    6. PJ

      You know, it was fine. We had a logical pro and con conversation. I was raised sort of to have opinions even if-

    7. JS

      Mm

    8. PJ

      ... the room was hostile. Um, so I think that really gave me a sense of self, and I think it's really important in parenting for us to treat our children like they're developing their own minds. Because that's so important for them to have a sense of self and feel like, you know, they're not robots, but they're actually thinking, and they have a say in their decisions. It really lends for adults being able to have a sense of confidence. And second, to really understand and accept that confidence is not something you always need. You don't. You know? So put it in a backpack. It's okay. Give it a break. Let it be in your purse. Let it be in your wallet. Let it chill for a second. Feel insecure. Feel, like, scared. S- feel afraid. Feel vulnerable. Um, but when you need the confidence and you walk into that room, you'll have it. 'Cause you didn't-

    9. JS

      Mm

    10. PJ

      ... keep using it. You didn't need to constantly have a, you know, cover of, or um, sort of like a uniform of confidence. You don't have to always show confidence. You don't have to exude confidence. You never, you don't. You just have to pull it out when you need it. And then when it's in the reserve, it's so much more powerful because you're allowing yourself to be all the things. I feel insecure. I'm terrified that this book is coming out.

    11. JS

      [laughs]

    12. PJ

      It's the first time I've ever written, and I've never been so personal in my whole life.

    13. JS

      Yeah.

    14. PJ

      I've been a public person for 20 years. Never scratched beneath the surface. I've gotten away with sharing whatever I wanted to share about my life and not more, you know?

    15. JS

      Yeah.

    16. PJ

      My story is, people think they know it, but they really don't. [laughs]

    17. JS

      Yeah.

    18. PJ

      And I've managed that for 20 years. But I think I, now on the other side of 35, was feeling a sense of confidence, um, and a sense of self in my capabilities, in what I bring to the table. It only took 20 years for me to get there, but I got there. Um, and I think all those insecurities that I address in my book don't scare me that much anymore, as they did at that time, as-

    19. JS

      Yeah

    20. PJ

      ... you know, they worried me, and I was like, "I don't wanna talk about it. Nobody needs to know about my life," and you know? But now I'm at a place where I'm just like, well, it's still on my terms and, um, you know, I'm hoping that people maybe get to know me a little bit more than a fashion meme or a headline or something like that. [laughs]

  5. 13:57 – 18:36

    Being Public, Privacy and Vulnerability in the Book

    1. JS

      Yeah. I, I think that's what I love about it. From the few pages that I've, I've flicked through, I definitely see you allowing yourself. And that's, that's the power of a book, though. And so I re- I relate to that insecurity. My first book came out last September.

    2. PJ

      I know.

    3. JS

      And, and I was-

    4. PJ

      We know your first book

    5. JS

      ... I was so-

    6. PJ

      I have it.

    7. JS

      I was so n- oh, that's awesome. I'm so glad you have it. I was, I was so nervous. So I can, I know, I know what you mean by that. And especially for you at this stage in your career of, yours is a memoir. Mine had part stories. It wasn't a memoir. So I can only imagine. But I see you-

    8. PJ

      Terrifying

    9. JS

      ... doing that and, and books are so powerful for that. And that's why I really hope everyone who's listening and watching right now, if you're enjoying this conversation, go and pick up the book because I do think that media, the news, the, the short meme, the clip, it portrays such a limited view of, of someone like yourself. And you-

    10. PJ

      It's a superficial view, really.

    11. JS

      Yes.

    12. PJ

      And you'll... And it's okay. It's a choice also. I-

    13. JS

      Yes

    14. PJ

      ... I want to, for people to consume only a part of me, you know?

    15. JS

      Right.

    16. PJ

      I want to be able to preserve my humanity, my family, my life, my opinions. I may have chosen a public profession, but I'm not an elected official. I don't owe-

    17. JS

      Yeah

    18. PJ

      ... an explanation to anyone for the choices that I make. You know?

    19. JS

      Mm.

    20. PJ

      I'm here to create work. I'm, I'm doing a job just like everybody else. Mine happens to be in entertainment, and it happens to have a lot of cameras on my face. It's fine. You know? I made a, I made that deal with the devil. So I've, I've kind of made peace with the fact that I, I prefer it being from a distance. Um-

    21. JS

      Mm

    22. PJ

      ... but at the same time, I think now I've been a public person for more than half my life. It's my normal. And only now have I reached a point where I'm allowing the walls to sort of fall down and letting whoever wants to know me get to know me as the person that I am. Before that, I was very protective of who I was 'cause maybe I was insecure about who I was, or I was, I-

    23. JS

      Mm

    24. PJ

      ... still didn't have a sense of self. I don't know. But I think-

    25. JS

      Yeah

    26. PJ

      ... in the journey of life, I've reached a place where, you know, I'm, I'm good with who I am. [laughs]

    27. JS

      Yeah.

    28. PJ

      So... [laughs]

    29. JS

      What, what's... That's wonderful to hear, by the way. And, and I, and I can feel it off your energy. What's the part of yourself in this book that you share that you think most people are going to be surprised by? Where you think that people may just be like, "What?" Like, and I'm sure there's many, but, but what's something that stands out?

    30. PJ

      Um, [laughs] it's, it, there, there are a few, um, which I think people may be surprised by that I was vulnerable enough to discuss. Um, and, um, I think my, my failures, my struggles, rejections, um, sadnesses that, um, I've never really, people have never seen. I always wear a brave front. Most women in, like, you know, tough jobs have-

  6. 18:36 – 23:19

    Women in Industry, Feminism and Choice

    1. PJ

      I think so. I think, um, you know, um, it, it's still hard when you're starting out for women to be taken seriously, for your ideas to be given the kind of credence that, um, a man's would as quickly probably, you know?

    2. JS

      Mm-hmm.

    3. PJ

      Um, especially in professions where you d- you know, normally you don't see women because, you know, women have never been pushed in that direction-

    4. JS

      Mm

    5. PJ

      ... or women have never wanted to go in that direction because it was never normalized for them, that their ambitions could go in that direction. Business, politics, um, you know, b- to be heads of companies, um, engineering, like, you know, coding, um, policy making. Like, stuff like that, lawyers, women have just about in the last few generations been coming to the fore and, you know, are standing neck to neck with guys. But, it's still a- an anomaly. It's still not-

    6. JS

      Mm

    7. PJ

      ... as normal in terms of numbers. It's still not equal. So until that happens, I think it'll, will be hard for, um, you know, young girls to be taken s- taken seriously when they come into professions that are predominantly male. Um-

    8. JS

      Yeah

    9. PJ

      ... but it's okay. Um, you know, women before us have fought the fight and women after us will fight the fight. It'll just hopefully not be the same fight.

    10. JS

      Mm.

    11. PJ

      Hopefully our generation will not let our kids inherit our problems, you know? Um-

    12. JS

      Mm

    13. PJ

      ... as women, um, we are definitely working in that direction. But I think as the world needs to sit up and take notice that this demand is loud because it's a requirement. This demand is loud because that's what's right, and that is the reflection of the world. W- women are 50% of it, and we should be reflected in, um, you know, every area. And basically feminism is that, right? Like, don't decide for me what I should be doing, when I should be doing it, and how I should be doing it.

    14. JS

      Yeah, yeah.

    15. PJ

      Just like men have had that freedom, give me that as well.

    16. JS

      Yeah.

    17. PJ

      So I guess it's that. [laughs]

    18. JS

      It's a strong message.

    19. PJ

      Sorry, we deviate completely.

    20. JS

      No, no, no, you're not deviating at all. It's a strong message and I stand by it. So it's, uh, it's a great message. And, and it, it's really interesting where male privilege is a really interesting thing to reflect on. I remember when I first started reflecting on it, it was a pro- even really a few years back, and I feel very much I was raised by my mom, and I have a younger sister, so I'm very close to the women in my life. But it, it started to strike me in a crazy way that I grew up having had certain dreams of becoming something that my sister couldn't have had. And, and that wasn't because of the way we were parented, it was because of what you saw. And, and when that really hit me and I stood and looked at that, and I often encourage a lot of my friends in that direction too, I'm like, "If you really think about," if they have a son and a daughter, I'm like, "If you really think about some of the options that don't seem available to your daughter, that she may never consider a career," and I really think that that consideration is where the equality is. Like, the opportunity of even having that idea of-

    21. PJ

      Exactly

    22. JS

      ... I could do that or I can do-

    23. PJ

      The opportunity of, of having choice, I think. You know?

    24. JS

      Yes.

    25. PJ

      A lot of women-

    26. JS

      Yeah

    27. PJ

      ... we are so, I am, I am extremely privileged that I was raised by a feminist. I'm married to a feminist. Um, I'm extremely privileged that my parents, which is why I, I brought up parenting, um, earlier.

    28. JS

      Yeah.

    29. PJ

      A big reason I have a sense of confidence and I c- I'm on this sli- this side of the fight because, um, it's not as hard as it is on so many women around the world. I still had to fight. Of course I had to break down the doors and I had to, you know, prove a point to be taken seriously. I was kicked out of movies and replaced and, you know, all the things. But I still had it so much easier. There are women around the world that don't have a say in their life, that are married off when, you know, other people decide that, people choose who they are married to, w- whether they can work or not, when they should have children, what kind of children they should have. And that doesn't mean giving up culture. That doesn't mean giving up tradition, you know? It just means creating opportunity. My father told me when I was very, very young, my mom since I was nine years old, "You will have financial independence before anything you do. It doesn't matter whose daughter you are. It doesn't matter, um, you know, who you're marry- married to. You'll stand on your own feet." And there's such a power to that, um, to having, you know, to be raised by parents who put that in my head. So I was ambitious from 12 years old. I decided every year what I wanted to be, and it changed every year. [laughs]

  7. 23:19 – 28:39

    Supportive Partnership in Busy Lives

    1. JS

      I, I, I love hearing that and I've, I, it reminded me of something you've said before when you were speaking about your father there, about how, uh, Nick for you shares this same admiration of your power and, and your ambition and, and feels, you know, supportive and excited and enthusiastic about the way you carry yourself. Tell us a bit about how... I, I feel like that's such an important thing for both of anyone in a relationship to feel like their partner is inspired by their values, their beliefs, and their dreams. What has it felt like in the past where you feel like you haven't had that? And if someone who's listening or watching is feeling like, "Maybe I don't have that," how does, how, how do you think someone can navigate that or to ultimately attract the partner that, that does have that? What's that journey like? Because I think a lot of people feel like they're with someone who may not understand or get their dreams, especially when they're starting out.

    2. PJ

      Then it's the wrong person for you. And if you have the, um, e- especially if you're starting out and, you know, you're testing the waters. And I think it's so crucial if you have a choice in your life to end up with someone who is not, like, enthused by your dreams, is at least interested in them-

    3. JS

      Mm

    4. PJ

      ... is at least excited about them or-

    5. JS

      Mm

    6. PJ

      ... you know, uh, is at least, um, encouraging. Like, that's, that's exciting. Um, because, you know, everyone's busy and everyone has a thing in their lives, b- but to take, to make the effort to, um, to make the effort to make you feel like your dreams are as important as the other one is such a gift, and, um, I have been very blessed to have that.

    7. JS

      You know, I find wherever you are in your relationship, obviously you and Nick lead extremely busy lives. Uh, you know, my wife and I lead busy lives. And I feel even if someone's not in the entertainment industry or the media industry, everyone feels like they live busy lives. What does support look like when two people are busy, driven, and ambitious? Because you obviously have it. You're speaking about it right now, and it's beautiful. What does that actually look like in a real practical sense? Obviously, the last six months or the last 12 months have been different, but in reality, what does that look like? Because I feel that maybe sometimes we have false expectations. Sometimes you want... You know, it's not natural that you can be at every show Nick does. It's not natural for him to be at every set you're doing. Same with me and my wife. Like, my wife can't be at every event I'm speaking at. I can't be at every, uh, interview or something she's doing. What does support look like? What does love look like in a very real, practical sense?

    8. PJ

      I think when it comes to s- support specifically, I think giving the other person the space, um, to do what they're doing is very important without, you know, them feeling like, oh, my... Like, for example, I'm here in London for a year right now, and Nick is filming in LA. Um, and I can't travel, but before the holidays, he made sure he was here for two months to settle me in, you know, um, to make sure that the house was all set up and everything was sorted, and we were together for the holidays. That's because he was free, um, at the end of the month. And that support, um, you know, it, it doesn't have to be large. It doesn't have to be, uh, um, you know, a big expression of, I don't know, l- love and, or big gifts. It's not. It's, it's about giving space. It's about giving freedom. It's about appreciation. And I find this one thing really helpful. Um, I always think about when, you know, he's busy or he's having a crazy day, which I, he does for me as well, which is amazing, and everyone can follow this and it's super easy.

    9. JS

      [laughs]

    10. PJ

      Um, is to think about how can I make that person's day easier?

    11. JS

      Mm.

    12. PJ

      Just like... And that's such a lovely, loving thing. Just sometimes I'm, you know, back to back, especially when I was doing promo, I was doing, like, 20 interviews, and suddenly there'd be, like, a really nice cocktail that would come in in the evening, or suddenly there'd be a really nice, like, cup of coffee or, you know, something to eat for me that would come in, and it's just, like, so sweet to think about that. Or if I'm sitting outside, you know, he'll bring a blanket and put it. It's just being thoughtful and aware about your person and, you know, that's the greatest form of love, is showing it without really asking for it.

    13. JS

      Yeah. That's such a great piece of advice. I love that. To be, you, you said to be thoughtfully aware, and I think that's, that's so true. And, and the beautiful thing about everything you just said is that it's, it's free, it's cheap, it's small, it's simple, as in it's, it's accessible to everyone-

    14. PJ

      And it's the best gift.

    15. JS

      Yeah, and it's the best gift.

    16. PJ

      It's the best gift.

    17. JS

      Yeah. When, when you feel like someone's in tune with you and, and your emotions and how you feel, how you might be tired or how you might be sleepy or how you might be cold, like, those small things when you feel someone's aware, and, and I love that piece of advice. I think it's something that everyone's definitely learned more about in the pandemic where, where we're exposed to each other.

  8. 28:39 – 31:13

    The Meaning of Unfinished and Future Ambitions

    1. JS

      Tell, tell me a bit about the, the title Unfinished, because I, obviously it leads to your determined, ambitious voice. But what other parts of your growth, uh, maybe internally, personally, do you feel you're unfinished on or working on?

    2. PJ

      I mean, so much. I've just about, you know, I'm in my 30s, and this decade has been amazing because, um, I've just, you know, found my strength, I think, as a woman. And, um, what I'm looking forward to going forward is I'm very nascent in my career in America right now. It's just been five years since I've started working here. I just about have done my first, you know, leading feature film. I've just about done my first dramatic part here. Um, I wanna be able to build, you know, the kind of career that I had the good fortune of building in another amazing industry, um, in India. I've done such a variety of roles there, worked with the best filmmakers, best actors. I wanna be able to have that experience here so that I'm, I'm, like, my artistic side now that I've started on this journey in this part of the world is peaked to, to be able to do that as well. As a producer, I wanna be able to create, um, a lot more South Asian content in Hollywood. I just-

    3. JS

      Mm

    4. PJ

      ... I didn't see enough parts for myself. I didn't see enough of it on TV. And considering, um, how large the South Asian population is in, around the world and how English-speaking we are, you know, English language entertainment should be reflecting that. So I wanna be able to ... tell stories, um, in India as well and as here. Um, I want to build as an entrepreneur. It's something I didn't do, um, you know, up, up until now 'cause I was building my acting career so much. So, you know, founding my own brand, um, investing in tech. I find that really fascinating. Um, my philanthropy, I want to be able to set up my foundation really well. Um, my work with UNICEF. Um, I've just about moved into our new house, um, after almost 10 to 15 years of living in rentals or hotel rooms, you know? 'Cause I always just kept moving. I was so nomadic. Um, I'm looking forward to, you know, watching the trees grow in my garden. [laughs]

    5. JS

      [laughs]

  9. 31:13 – 35:29

    South Asian Representation and Limited Career Dreams

    1. JS

      I love that. Watch, watching trees grow is great. I love that.

    2. PJ

      [laughs]

    3. JS

      You, you're... [laughs] That's brilliant. I, hearing you, hearing you say that, uh, I, I love hearing you talk about the South Asian storytelling. Like, obviously that, that relates very s- strongly to me and my roots growing up in London as well, where I think we have an incredibly strong South Asian community where you are right now, where I was born and raised. And I definitely felt this, yeah, lack of, lack of representation, lack of the ability to, to dream-

    4. PJ

      Lack of opportunity

    5. JS

      ... lack of opportunity to dream in a certain way. And you know, my, my career has been totally random, but it's, and, and you know, I'm doing something today that I would never have imagined even knowing it existed.

    6. PJ

      But see, even that, you and I, two South Asians sitting [laughs] in these boxes and talking about the fact that the careers that we are thriving in, that we have worked so hard to make, was never in our minds, was never a possibility. But I would've never dreamed about it 'cause it wasn't in my realm of dreaming, but that's not how it should be-

    7. JS

      Mm-hmm

    8. PJ

      ... considering the hu- we're one fifth of the world's popula- we're huge. We're everywhere, okay? And I think, and it, it shouldn't be so hard for me to, you know, come into an industry and say, "I want an opportunity," and for people to be like, "Oh, well, we're gonna have to create that now, won't we?" [laughs]

    9. JS

      [laughs]

    10. PJ

      Like, why? We've existed for a really long time. [laughs]

    11. JS

      [laughs]

    12. PJ

      You know? It's the irony of it is so amusing, but, uh, sad at the same time.

    13. JS

      Yeah. No, that resonates very strongly with me because I didn't even know any careers existed, and, and, and I, when I say this, I, I don't say it lightly. I genuinely didn't believe careers existed out, uh, o- outside of medicine, uh, engineering, and business. Like, I didn't really know-

    14. PJ

      Me neither

    15. JS

      ... I didn't know that you could have a successful career in anything else. And-

    16. PJ

      Me neither. At 17-

    17. JS

      Yeah

    18. PJ

      ... when I was, it was a fluke why I got, got into the Miss India pageant, and that kind of kickstarted everything for me.

    19. JS

      Mm-hmm.

    20. PJ

      But I wanted to be an engineer because those were the options-

    21. JS

      Yeah

    22. PJ

      ... doctor, engineer, and lawyer.

    23. JS

      Yeah.

    24. PJ

      And you know, if you come from an academic family-

    25. JS

      Or failure

    26. PJ

      ... of, or failure. [laughs]

    27. JS

      [laughs]

    28. PJ

      Um, if you come from an academic family or, you know, our, our parents are immigrants. And our parents, like my parents even in India, were, you know, building their businesses for the first time. It wasn't inherited from them, so they also were surviving, and I think it's that survival instinct that sort of pushed them to put the aspirations that they knew best, you know-

    29. JS

      Mm

    30. PJ

      ... on their kids. Like-

  10. 35:29 – 40:24

    Purpose and Choosing Projects

    1. JS

      And that's what I wanted to ask you, that today you're a entrepreneur, you're an actor, you're a producer, you have your own production company. How do you define Priyanka Chopra Jonas's purpose that kind of cascades into all those areas? Like, like what do you see as your purpose in the work that you're doing? Because to me it seems it's always been driven by purpose.

    2. PJ

      It definitely has. It's always to evolve. I feel like my purpose is to find the next thing that I can do-

    3. JS

      Mm

    4. PJ

      ... the next new thing, the next, um, thing that I can push the envelope on, or the next thing where I can push the goalpost. I want to do something, you know, different, that's not been... I've always been driven to, you know, and th- that doesn't mean every choice is that, but that's the eventual big-picture purpose, you know? To be able to sort of, I've, I've been given such an incredible opportunity, um, from the beginning of my career- You know, I, it was, I don't take that lightly, um, to be... There are so many people around the world that are probably more talented than me, probably more, um, deserving than me. But, you know, the sum of the opportunities I chose is the reason why I'm here today, and I don't take that for granted at all. Um, and that's my purpose, is to make sure that, you know, every single day is spent with a pursuit of excellence in, um, every single choice that I make.

    5. JS

      Mm. What, what are, what are three truths that you live by? If you had to define three things that you always live by, that you don't negotiate with, that you, that guide you, that guide your decisions and guide your life when you're looking at those projects. As you said, you always wanna find that next thing, that you're gonna break through and that you don't wanna be scared of trying new things. What are some of those?

    6. PJ

      If it resonates with me. Like, if I read something and I'm moved by it. Like The White Tiger, for example. I'd read the book and-

    7. JS

      Mm

    8. PJ

      ... it really, like, there... You know some books you just remember always because they were such a vivid journey? And The White Tiger was one of those for me. It was such a vivid journey. And, um, I, when I read that it was being adapted, I chased it. I went after it and I was like, "I need to be, I need to do this. I need to be a part of it," because it moved me. It was a story that I feel like needs to be told. It's topical, it's entertaining. Um, you know, it's, it's based on a universal theme of the haves and the have-nots, you know, that exist everywhere. So I think, like, that, I feel, is my purpose, to be able to be moved by the things that I choose to align with. And I think also, um, for it to be a growth for me, you know?

    9. JS

      Mm.

    10. PJ

      For it to be, for it to be taking me to the next step. I don't like to stay in the same place for a very long time.

    11. JS

      Yeah.

    12. PJ

      Do the same kind of thing for a very long time. I wanna go to the next thing. What is, what is better? And, and our, my job sort of lends me to be able to do that because-

    13. JS

      Mm

    14. PJ

      ... it's very transitory. There's no, you know, you don't know where your next job is or where your next check comes from or anything, right?

    15. JS

      Yeah.

    16. PJ

      So it, it allows me to pick and choose what I think is the next step. But those two things are very important, I think.

    17. JS

      Those are great truths. Those are great truths, and I think, uh, they, they come across in your book when you kind of see, like, how has this person had, like, 10 careers, you know? And in a good way, in a, in a, in a strong sense of being able to find that. And, and I wonder, obviously you've played so many roles and studied so many characters in your life. Was writing this book almost like studying your own self as a character in terms of, like-

    18. PJ

      [laughs]

    19. JS

      ... the role you played? [laughs]

    20. PJ

      Um, so the reflection of this book is sort of me now, you know-

    21. JS

      Mm

    22. PJ

      ... talking to my younger me growing up.

    23. JS

      Mm-hmm.

    24. PJ

      So I comment on myself and stuff. I'm like, "Come on," you know? "Don't, don't do..." "Note to self." I have a lot of notes to self in the book. So sort of a commentary on that. But I think I wasn't examining myself as a character because I, I think I, I was sort of going along with my journey all over again. I was experiencing-

    25. JS

      Mm

    26. PJ

      ... my journey all over again. I didn't have to create anything. I just had to-

    27. JS

      Yeah

    28. PJ

      ... remember it as vividly as I could. Um-

    29. JS

      Mm

    30. PJ

      ... and I don't know, I hope I got [laughs] everything right. I've tried to.

  11. 40:24 – 45:29

    Patience, Drive and Embracing Dichotomies

    1. JS

      Yeah. You share this beautiful quote in chapter eight that really stuck with me. I've never, I've never read this one before, and I, I absolutely love discovering writers and thoughts, so thank you for introducing me to this. It says, it's, it's from Letters to a Young Poet. Uh, and it says, "Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves like locked rooms and like books that are written in a very foreign tongue." And, and I thought the selection of that, that quote, it, it really spoke to me. How do you balance your drive and what's next with that passion? Sorry, with that patience and with that approach? Because often it can feel like, you know, it's like you're trying to find that next thing, trying to grow and evolve, but, but you're also beautifully speaking about patience.

    2. PJ

      Well, I bifurcated. I'm not patient in my job, but I'm patient as a person. [laughs] And my job doesn't make me. Um-

    3. JS

      Yeah

    4. PJ

      ... it's not, I'm, my job is not my whole, you know? Um-

    5. JS

      Mm

    6. PJ

      ... and this is, again, something I didn't know earlier. I've grown into understanding this. My younger self probably wouldn't. My, my 20s, I didn't know this. But, um, I've bifurcated very clearly, you know. My professional life is my professional life. My personal life is my personal life. They meet in the middle sometimes because I'm a public person, but I still have an immense part of me that's not for public consumption and it's not, um, for anyone else but me. So, um, that, that side of me is patient. That side of me has become, you know, um, calmer, um, a little bit more having, um, you know, stable maybe, having my feet on the ground a little bit. But my professional self is still in a tizzy. I'm impatient. I want the next thing right now. I wake up in the morning thinking about my entire day and how I'm gonna achieve every single thing at 0 to 60. Um, and that works for that girl. It doesn't work for this girl. And it took a lot of introspection for me to get here, actually. I, I, in that chapter, I actually talk about that journey of getting to that place, um, because I wasn't there. And a lot of my professional attitude, which was, you know- I'm, I am going to do everything I can to make this the best. I took a lot of the onus of life upon myself as well, and it hurt me. And it, um, and I didn't need to take the responsibility of life. Life happens, and we've kind of got to navigate it every single day. And, you know, live it for being on the right side of the truth and being a good person and, you know, having joy in the day because life is a gift. And, you know, it needs to be celebrated. And so my, my personal side of that Pri is real chill and loves life and, um, but the other girl, she's, she's crazy. [laughs]

    7. JS

      [laughs] That's a fantastic distinction and, and I, I, I love that. I'm so glad that you shared that with us. That's such a great way of, of helping people understand how two seemingly opposite ideas can coexist. And I think we often feel like we have to choose. Like you're either driven or you're calm. You're either ambitious or you're, you know, conscious and aware. And I've, I'm so happy you said that because I, I couldn't agree more. I, I think it's fun letting two ideas collide and live within the same space and person, so-

    8. PJ

      And I think it's natural as well, you know?

    9. JS

      It is natural.

    10. PJ

      Dichotomies are the most consistent things you'll see around. Nobody's one thing. No emotion is a singular emotion.

    11. JS

      Yeah.

    12. PJ

      You are, at any given moment, and that's an actor thing I guess. When you're, you're playing a character, you have to think about everything that character is playing. You can't just be like, "Oh, this is an angry scene. I'm going to just be angry and yell my eyes out." You know, yell my, uh, whatever, throat out. You're not... That's not a good actor. You're not even scratching beneath the surface.

    13. JS

      Mm.

    14. PJ

      The actor who thinks about, "Oh my gosh, I'm getting laid," or, "I have to have this conversation. It's also cold, and I'm, I'm like mad about whatever. Last week my job, I'm, I got fired." You've got to think about all of those elements. So in the same way, in life, we never have to choose one thing, so that, we need to take that pressure off of our backs.

    15. JS

      Mm.

    16. PJ

      That you don't have to be on one solitary journey. You can choose to be on any journey at any time. You can choose to feel. As long as you take the pressure, we put too much pressure on ourselves to function. We create boxes and glass ceilings for ourselves because we're like, "Oh, this is the only way I can be and that's how you are successful." There's no black or white in the world. Everyone lives in grays.

    17. JS

      Yeah. Thank you so much for sharing that passionately. I could, [laughs] I could feel your, feel your passion just like-

    18. PJ

      [laughs]

    19. JS

      ... flying through the screen. You're like, "Everyone who's listening and watching, this is just, you know, straight..." It's beautiful. It's, it's fantastic.

  12. 45:29 – 47:40

    Fill in the Blank Round

    1. JS

      We, Priyanka, you've been so kind with your, and generous with your time. We end every podcast with two segments. These segments are called Fill in the Blank and the Fast Five. Uh, the Fill in the Blank is a fill-in-the-blank round, uh, very aware. And then I'll introduce the Fast Five later. So-

    2. PJ

      Okay

    3. JS

      ... if you're ready, this is your Fill in the Blank.

    4. PJ

      Okay.

    5. JS

      Okay. So the hardest part about my job is?

    6. PJ

      The hours.

    7. JS

      Mm.

    8. PJ

      Um, and, um, the... Well, fill in the blank. The blank is the hours. [laughs]

    9. JS

      [laughs]

    10. PJ

      Just basically I have to explain that because, um, you know, you, my job can come up at any time on any day. It doesn't matter if it's someone's birthday, it doesn't matter if it is, you know, my anniversary. It doesn't matter if, like, I am, um, I don't know, going to a friend's wedding. If the job comes up, you've got to kind of deliver.

    11. JS

      Yeah.

    12. PJ

      That's the hardest part really.

    13. JS

      Yeah. And I want to be honest and let everyone know right now it's 7:00 PM where Priyanka is. It's 11:00 AM where I am, so she's still here kindly doing this interview. So just, just to be really honest about, about the hours and, and, and the workload-

    14. PJ

      And I'm gonna be doing it until 1:00 AM.

    15. JS

      Yeah. [laughs] I believe you. I believe you. Uh, okay. Next one. 2020 gave me a new perspective on?

    16. PJ

      Um, creativity.

    17. JS

      Mm.

    18. PJ

      Because, um, it gave me a sense of balance. I became a lot more creative I think.

    19. JS

      Mm. Yeah, that makes sense. That stillness, that clarity-

    20. PJ

      Mm

    21. JS

      ... that slow down for once.

    22. PJ

      The, um, luxury of time-

    23. JS

      Mm-hmm

    24. PJ

      ... which I never have.

    25. JS

      Yeah.

    26. PJ

      Um, and I've never chosen. [laughs]

    27. JS

      [laughs]

    28. PJ

      This, this forced, [laughs] this forced time was very helpful. [laughs]

    29. JS

      Yeah. I love that. Uh, my power comes from?

    30. PJ

      My family.

  13. 47:40 – 54:51

    Fast Five and Closing

    1. JS

      I love it. Okay. This is your Final Five, so questions can be one word to one sentence maximum. You, you did extremely well on the Fill in the Blank. Uh, so these are one word to one sentence maximum. Okay. Uh, who do you go to for their opinion about your work?

    2. PJ

      Nobody. [laughs]

    3. JS

      [laughs] Great answer. I love it. I love it. It's a great answer.

    4. PJ

      I let the people decide. [laughs]

    5. JS

      You know, one, one of my favorite things about you over the years is just how straight-talking you are and, and, uh, and obviously my intention has, has only been positive towards you. But I've loved watching your interviews where someone asks, tries to ask just an awkward, irrelevant question and, and you always just give them the best answer. Like you-

    6. PJ

      [laughs]

    7. JS

      Yeah, it's just, it's so fun to watch. It's so fun. Uh-

    8. PJ

      Thank you

    9. JS

      ... I haven't, I haven't been able to be on the other end of it thankfully, but, but, uh-

    10. PJ

      [laughs]

    11. JS

      ... it's, it's great. It's great. Okay. Uh, what's the best piece of advice you ever received?

    12. PJ

      To have courage of conviction. Um- My mom said that to me at, when I was very young. She said, "If you're gonna tell the truth or if you're gonna tell a lie, just know that, um, you know, whatever you do, you have to stand by it. The good, the bad-

    13. JS

      Yeah

    14. PJ

      ... ugly. It's all yours."

    15. JS

      Wonderful. Uh, what's the worst advice you've ever received?

    16. PJ

      I don't retain bad advice. [laughs]

    17. JS

      [laughs] Great answer. That's, that's a great answer. It's awesome, yeah. Yeah, it makes perfect sense. Why would you, why would you-

    18. PJ

      It just, I don't have the place in my brain for it. There's too many other things floating around. [laughs]

    19. JS

      I love it. Uh, question number four: What's something that you know to be true for you but that other people may disagree on? So something that you're confident is true, but other people may not understand it fully.

    20. PJ

      Um, that I'm actually, like you, a monk. [laughs] People won't believe it, 'cause most people, e- even my closest family would be like, "You? No," because I'm always, like, in a tizzy, but I'm actually inherently-

    21. JS

      A monk

    22. PJ

      ... rather, close, close to monk. Not really, actually.

    23. JS

      I love it. No, I love it. That's great. I, I, that, that was the whole reason why I was encouraging people to have a monk mindset, that anyone in the world can, can have that. So I, I love hearing.

    24. PJ

      Yeah.

    25. JS

      That's, that's beautiful. You don't have to, you don't have to live like a monk to think like a monk, so I'm glad.

    26. PJ

      Totally.

    27. JS

      That, that's great. Okay, fifth and final question. Uh, if you could make one law in the world that everyone had to follow, what would it be?

    28. PJ

      No one goes hungry is my law.

    29. JS

      Mm.

    30. PJ

      That's it. It's the worst thing to see. Um, yeah, if we could change just that, it would really change a lot of things.

Episode duration: 54:51

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