Priyanka Chopra Jonas on marriage, ambition, and what it means to be a woman in charge
Deebashree Mohanty (BOMBAY TIMES; November 24, 2019)

You’ve said your mother played a crucial role in forming your views about life...
Both my parents have sacrificed so much of their lives for me. My mom was at the peak of her practice — she’s a doctor — and she quit that and moved to Mumbai because of my aspirations. I became Miss India at 17, and my dad was like, “She’s too young. She can’t be alone.” And my mom was like, “Alright, my daughter’s ambitions matter to me, and I’ll do whatever is required for her dream to be realised.” When I wanted to go to America at 13, my mom and dad made that happen. My family has always been an incredible support system for my ambitions and my dreams.

Has marriage made you see life in a new way? Also, what attracted you to Nick Jonas?
I feel marriage has made me calmer, and far more content. What attracted me to Nick was that we have similar values – we’re both equally dedicated to our families and our careers. So, marriage has only made me grounded and happy.

You are a woman in charge in a world, where gender equations are being talked about; but a lot of people still aren’t comfortable dealing with powerful women. How do you navigate your way without getting worked up?
I grew up in a family that encouraged me to have a voice of my own. My parents have always taught me to be my own person, and have an opinion about the world around me. So, I am who I am. While I do make an effort to accommodate everyone’s views, I will not change for anyone.

Tell us about your journey as an entrepreneur...
When it comes to work, I am a beast, and on that level, I connect with a lot of people around the world because ambition has no colour, it has no language, it has no border or country. Ambition is pure ambition. I have it and I wish for the women of the world to not be afraid to have it, because we have been told for such a long time that ambition is a bad word for a girl. This ambition drives my entrepreneurial pursuits. And I think that has taken me from strength to strength.

How important is it to love yourself?
How can I do and achieve whatever I have, without loving myself? I need to be able to live with my decisions, even be happy with them if I’m to succeed in my endeavours.

Being a global icon, you have to juggle multiple decisions within a stipulated time. How do you manage to stay ahead of the curve?
I think when you are wearing as many hats as I do, decisiveness comes with the territory. There’s no free lunch in the world. It takes dedication, hard work, perseverance and a really good team.

You’ve spent your life in the limelight for almost two decades. How difficult was it to manage?
I’ve been in this industry since I was a teenager, so I’m very used to it… it’s a part and parcel of my life now. So, you just accept it and take everything that comes your way in your stride.

There is a lot of negativity all around, especially on social media. How do you deal with it?
I take it with a pinch of salt. I understand that social media is a platform to express positive and negative emotions, and yes, I do wish that people tried to be nicer, kinder, and better versions of themselves. But this isn’t an ideal world, and I can’t really control what people say about me, but I can control how I perceive it and if I choose to let it affect me or not.