Priyanka reflects on playing a 'sexual predator' in 'Aitraaz'

Priyanka Chopra, in a new interview, reflected on playing a 'sexual predator' very early in her career, in the hit film 'Aitraaz'. She also admitted that in hindsight, a culturally appropriate actor should have played boxing icon Mary Kom in the biopic.

In the latest edition of Vanity Fair's ongoing video series, in which actors dissect their careers, Priyanka spoke about the most pivotal moments in her professional life, from winning the Miss World pageant as a teenager to appearing in 'The Matrix Resurrections'.

Her first Hindi film was 'Aitraaz', a 'remake' of the Hollywood hit 'Disclosure' and the actor said that not everybody was on board with her decision to play a negative role so early in her career.

"At that time, big heroines who would be in the mainstream commercial movies had to be a lot more coy, pure, good girls. Versus my character in 'Aitraaz', who was a bad girl. At that time, it was a lot," she said.

She continued, "Because my character was a sexual predator and I was 21 or 22 and people were like, 'If you play such a sexually charged character, I do not know if your audience will be able to see you as the dream girl'."

Priyanka described her character as 'the girl you want to take to your parents versus the one you want to take to your bed'. She said that she was 'shocked' with the kind of positive reception that she got after the movie and was particularly surprised when all the attention was on her after the premiere, despite the film featuring bigger stars than her.

About 'Mary Kom', Priyanka said that the film still holds a special place in her heart because of the time she got to spend with the boxer. But she admitted that she looks nothing like her.

"In hindsight, the part should have probably gone to someone from the Northeast. But I was just greedy as an actor to get a chance to tell her story because as a woman, she inspired me so much," she shared.