Nayandeep Rakshit (DNA; April 14, 2019)

Priyanka Chopra Jonas has added yet another feather to her cap. She is the first Indian to host the prestigious Met Gala this year. She will join her husband Nick Jonas on the Met Gala’s Benefit Committee alongside other celebrities including Katy Perry, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper, Jared Leto, Lupita Nyong’o, Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez among others.

Says a source, “It was a unanimous call to get Nickyanka as hosts for the event because of the way they have been newsmakers in the last two years. The organisers wanted an Indian face to represent the country and who better than PC?”

Over the last two years, the Quantico star has grabbed headlines at the fundraising do. While she let her 10-foot long trench coat do all the talking in 2017, her ‘heavenly’ avatar at last year’s event got her the tag of the ‘Best Dressed Celebrity’.  Incidentally, Priyanka also met Nick for the first time at the fashion event when they made a joint appearance.

An ecstatic Priyanka told us from the US, “I have so many special memories attached to the Met Gala... It’s an honour to be a part of the Benefit Committee for this year’s Gala, alongside Nick. It’ll be a fun night and I’m really looking forward to it.”

SHARING THE STAGE AT THE 10TH ANNUAL WOMEN IN THE WORLD SUMMIT
Priyanka was also part of the 10th Annual Women In The World Summit, where she joined Oprah Winfrey, Stacey Abrams, Anna Wintour and Brie Larson among others talking about shaping opinions, setting agendas and celebrating women on the front edge of social change.

At the 10th Annual Women In The World Summit, Priyanka said, “Feminism is all about choices. Every woman makes individual choices. Allow your brain to have ideas. Think about how you can make those ideas real, because this is the time when we can do it. Never before in the history of mankind have we been able to sit in our homes, have an idea and maybe create into an app and monetise it. You can do anything, anywhere.”

The actress, who has emerged as a global icon, explained, “I played ethnically ambiguous parts, It took me all those parts to be where I am today. I didn’t want to do stereotypical roles because then all you will see is what I already know I can do. I am Indian, I can do that.”

Apart from being an actor-producer, PC is also an activist and ambassador for UNICEF. She said, “Social responsibility is something that we all need to feel. All of us live in this world. Our actions can resonate far beyond what we see. We have a responsibility to care about our society. We come from families where philanthropy is not a choice, it’s just second nature. If we focus on the children of the world, the world becomes a better place. Unfortunately, people like to read about me falling on the red carpet a lot more than anything else that I do, so I take that power and bring the attention to something that the world actually needs to talk about.”

Palak Juneja (DNA; November 30, 2018)

Fast and Furious star Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock is likely to attend Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas’ nuptials at the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur. He acted with PC in Baywatch and also shared screen space with Nick in Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle last year.

In July, Dwayne had joked about how he had played cupid between the duo. When asked about PC-Nick’s relationship, he had first replied with a question: “Are they happy?”

Then, he confirmed his role in bringing his former co-stars together. “I did it, yes. If they’re happy. Well then, I take credit,” he had added. Lupita Nyong’o (who was last seen in Black Panther), is reportedly set to arrive with The Rock for the wedding.

According to sources, invitations have also been extended to PC’s Quantico co-star Yasmine Al Massri and Jonathan Tucker, who starred alongside Nick in the US TV series Kingdom. Ranbir Kapoor and AR Rahman are also likely to attend the wedding.

Reportedly, director Farah Khan is also booked at the royal retreat where the shaadi will take place on December 2.

Apparently, 64 rooms have been booked at the Umaid Bhawan Palace while another 65 rooms have been reserved at Ajit Bhawan for the guests. Sources said the extra accommodation was arranged for the revised guest list. Earlier, 100 guests were expected to attend the nuptials. Now, the list comprises approximately 250 names.

Nimrat Kaur on The Lunchbox's prospects at the BAFTAs, her red carpet encounter with Ethan Hawke and sharing a designer with Michelle Obama
Ankur Pathak (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 5, 2015)

Nimrat Kaur, who has been touring the world, including Zagreb in Croatia, with her debut film, The Lunchbox, is back in Mumbai.

She has just returned from Los Angeles after the Screen Actors Guild Awards and on Friday flies out to London for the BAFTAs.

"I walked the SAG red carpet with Ethan Hawke whose films I've never missed, Can you imagine!" she says excitedly, sounding like a starry-eyed fan. "I told him Great Expectations is my favourite. I also met his sister."

Besides exchanging pleasantries with the Before Sunrise star, she befriended 12 Years A Slave Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong'o. "But I was too shy to talk to Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts and Julianne Moore. I used to watch their movies when in school and college. I could have never dreamt then that one day I'd be seated next to them. Notting Hill's Anna was right there besides me and I couldn't work up the courage to say Hi," she admits.

At the pre-awards party, Nimrat wore an outfit designed by Bibhu Mohapatra, who had dressed America's First Lady Michelle Obama during her recent Indian visit. "Quite a coincidence that,"quips Nimrat.

Ask her what she's wearing for the BAFTAs and she informs that she's shortlisted a bunch of designers but the final fittings will happen in London, a day before the ceremony on February 8.

"I am going crazy, I don't enjoy this part of stardom. It stresses me out. I remember in the early 2000s, Aishwarya Rai was torn apart by the so-called fashion gurus for her Cannes wardrobe. I understand that as a public figure, you are constantly under scrutiny. But red carpet fashion shouldn't score over films representing India at the fest," she grouses.

What are the chances of her film winning a BAFTA in the foreign film category? "I am not hopeful of a win since some really good films are also in contention. But just to be a part of the incredible night will be an unforegttable moment. And this time if I see Meryl or Julia, I'll definitely go say Hi!" she laughs.

Nimrat's international turn as ISI agent Tasneem Qureshi in Homeland's fourth season drew much praise. "If they set the show in Pakistan next season, I may return. But shooting for the show is very time-consuming and my return to it will depend on availability of my dates too," she says.

Her second film will be the Akshay Kumar evacuation drama Airlift. Will it be a worthy followup to The Lunchbox? "We'll know next year,"she quips "It's diametrically opposite to The Lunchbox. I just had my first script session with Akshay yesterday."

BOMBAY TIMES (July 17, 2014)