As Quantico's FBI recruit Alex Parrish, Priyanka Chopra shows her character to be smart, strong and capable to stand on her own two feet and take action when the time comes. In aCNN article, she describes her character as "Jason Bourne in female form."
Tonight, experience the series premiere critics are raving about. Watch #Quantico at 10|9c on ABC! https://t.co/OwOmLuXoks
— Quantico ABC (@QuanticoTV) September 27, 2015
@lauraleedooley thanks for setting up your #QuanticoReminder for premiere night. See you on Sept 27 at 10|9c! https://t.co/MyVvAB6psj
— Quantico ABC (@QuanticoTV) September 26, 2015
@lauraleedooley Tonight's the night! Here's your #QuanticoReminder from Priyanka Chopra. See you at 10|9c! https://t.co/uFzlc8mmWS
— Quantico ABC (@QuanticoTV) September 27, 2015
This type of character isn't totally new to Priyanka Chopra. In several highly-acclaimed Hindi films over the past decade, this Indian superstar has played many strong women who see a goal and follow-through for right with might and fight.
If you are new to Bollywood, here are five Hindi films that show the strength of character, determination, and performance power that Priyanka Chopra brings to her roles.
1. Mary Kom
Release Date: 5 September 2014
Director: Omung Kumar
Music by: Shashi Suman and Shivam Pathak; Rohit Kulkarni
Produced by: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures, Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Description: Biographical sports film. Based on the story of Indian athlete Mary Kom (Priyanka Chopra), five-time World Amateur Boxing champion, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships.
Why I Love This Film: Despite the many challenges and obstacles placed in Mary Kom's path, she doesn't back down from her passion for boxing. Priyanka Chopra went through intense physical training for this role - and it shows.
Recognition: Best Actress in a Leading Role, Arab Indo Bollywood Awards; Most Entertaining Film Actor (Female) and Most Entertaining Actor in a Social Drama Film (Female), BIG Star Entertainment Awards; Favourite Actor in a Leading Role (Female), Lions Gold Awards; Smita Patil Memorial Award for Best Actor, Priyadarshini Academy Global Awards; Best Actress, Screen Awards; Best Actress in a Leading Role and Dialogue of the Year, Star Guild Awards; Best Actress in a Drama, Stardust Awards.
2. 7 Khoon Maaf
English Translation: "7 Sins Forgiven"
Release Date: 18 February 2011
Director: Vishal Bhardwaj
Music by: Vishal Bhardwaj
Producer: Ronnie Screwvala, Vishal Bhardwaj
Description: Dark comedy drama. An adaptation of the short story Susanna's Seven Husbands by Ruskin Bond. Finding that perfect husband is challenging. Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes' (Priyanka Chopra) husbands tend to be abusive, unfaithful or just not appropriate for her. Many times their failings lead to their demise, leaving Susanne a widow. After becoming a widow many times over, she eventually finds the perfect husband.
Why I Love This Film: While Susanna isn't an action hero, she does have a strength of character that makes her a threat to anyone who crosses her. On her way to finding authentic love, she discovers that love can be fickle - including her own.
3. Don: The Chase Begins Again | Don 2
Note: While these are two separate films, you'll want to watch them both.
Release Dates: 20 October 2006 | 23 December 2011
Director: Farhan Akhtar
Music by: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Midival Punditz, DJ Randolf
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Shah Rukh Khan (Don 2)
Description: Action crime thrillers. After underworld kingpin Don (Shah Rukh Khan) murders Ramesh and his fiancée Kamini, policewoman and Ramesh's sister Roma (Priyanka Chopra) manages to infiltrate Don's gang in order to avenge their deaths. But a strange turn of events causes Roma to question her goal and when she uncovers the truth about Don, he escapes. Six years later and now working for Interpol, Roma continues to hunt Don down. In a strange turn of events, Don arrives at Interpol to give himself up to Roma. This begins a cat and mouse game that leads Interpol and Roma to Germany where Don is up to something big. Once again, he turns himself in but not before getting Roma involved in a dangerous scheme that threatens her life.
Why I Love These Films: As Roma finds herself drawn into a web of deceit around the man she seeks to destroy, she finds herself romantically drawn to him as he confides in her and they find themselves working together to foil various underworld plans. Roma remains guarded against Don who she knows can't be trusted ... or can he?
Recognition: Favorite Onscreen Jodi (Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra), 18th Colors Star Screen Awards; Favorite Actor in a Leading Role (Female), 18th Lions Gold Awards; Best Entertainer (Female), Hindustan Times Readers' Choice Awards
- See also: Don series of blog posts
4. Gunday
English Translation: "Outlaws"
Release Date: 14 February 2014
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar
Music by: Sohail Sen, Julius Packiam
Producer: Aditya Chopra
Description: Action crime thriller. Kolkata coal bandits Bikram Bose (Ranveer Singh) and Bala Bhattacharya (Arjun Kapoor) are viewed as heroes for using their money to help the community by building schools and hospitals. A.C.P. Satyajeet Sarkar (Irrfan Khan) is focused on this duo's well-hidden illegal activities and threatens to arrest them when he uncovers evidence against them. When they meet cabaret dancer Nandita (Priyanka Chopra), their lives are turned upside down as both Bikram and Bala fall in love with her. When Bala kills a man in public, Bikram sends him away to protect him. Distrust is sown between Bikram and Bala and Nandita finds herself caught in the middle of a battle between friends and their war with the police.
Why I Love This Film: There is more to Nandita than just the tantalizing cabaret performance she brings to the stage. While she is drawn to these anti-heroes, she is also painfully aware of her professional responsibilities which call on her to act against her heart. The film has a kind of a Butch Cassidy and the Sunday Kid feel to it, though the story is very different.
5. Drona
Release Date: 2 October 2008
Director: Goldie Behl
Music by: Dhruv Ghanekar
Producers: Shrishti Arya, Sunil Lulla, Amitabh Bachchan
Description: Fantasy adventure superhero film. Every since Sonia (Priyanka Chopra) can remember, her father has always told her to "shadow" Aditya (Abhishek Bachchan) whose true purpose in life has been hidden from him. When flamboyant demon magician Riz Raizada (Kay Kay Menon) discovers who Aditya truly is, a series of events are set in motion in which Sonia helps Aditya embrace his destiny as Drona - the latest in line of a dynasty of ancestral warriors dedicated to guarding a mystic source of immortality.
Why I Love This Film: The film is pure Bollywood with a magical fantasy twist that promotes the ideas of that love exists beyond boundaries, you must face your fear in order to conquer it, and that good will always triumph over evil. As Aditya's protector and defender, Priyanka Chopra's Sonia tough, sexy, and smart female action provides the strength to unite the hero with his destiny. As sidekick to Abhishek Bachchan's brooding hero, she completes a dynamic duo that masters sword play, horseback riding, and hand-to-hand combat - working together to defeat the enemy and protect humankind - after performing a few entertaining dance numbers.
Don't know which film to watch first? The following video playlist features trailers for each of these films.
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