‘I hope after Quantico, Indian actors are taken seriously’

She remembers being bullied as a “brownie” in her teenage years in the US. But now Priyanka Chopra, who has landed a key role in American thriller show Quantico, hopes her new endeavour helps her to break the “stereotype” that global pop culture has made out of <g data-gr-id="38">Indians,</g> and opens more doors for the country’s actors to be taken seriously in the west.

“The fact that Quantico happened was a big win. I just hope it is successful because I really think that it would make a dent in Indian actors being taken seriously. I think,” Priyanka said here.

A teaser of Quantico, which has been picked by ABC, gives ample footage to Priyanka, who essays FBI Agent Alex Parrish. And she even speaks with an accent!

Commenting on her debut in the US TV series, the 32-year-old said, she agreed to work in the show only on a condition.

“The fact that she is an Indian should have nothing to do with the story. ‘I am an actor, so cast me as an actor’ (was my point)... They indeed found me a part where I play a half-Indian, half-Caucasian FBI agent.”

“I play an American girl, I have an American accent, and it’s nothing related to the stereotyped image of Indians. We are beyond the exorcism, spirituality and yoga... it’s there, which is great, but that’s not it,” said Priyanka, who also broke stereotype when she ventured into the global music scene with her single In my city.

“I was bullied a lot when I was in a school in America. A lot of <g data-gr-id="33">racism</g> happened with me... which is why I came back. I was in high school, only 16 years old. I was called ‘Brownie, go back on the boat you came from’ and things like that.”

“So, when the opportunity of working in the West started coming in, starting with my music, I really wanted to try and bring relevance to Indian talent, because I was given the opportunity,” added the former Miss World.