When asked about Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s biggest career-defining moments, film addicts might pick her playing Jhilmil in Barfi (2012) or perhaps portraying the boxing legend Mary Kom in the 2014 biopic or even the regal Kashibai in Bajirao Mastani (2015). The fashion set might anoint her Met Gala debut in a custom Ralph Lauren trench dress or the 75-foot-long veil that took over her wedding to Nick Jonas. Being a public persona for nearly a quarter of a century will no doubt afford anyone a long list of milestones to choose from, but Chopra Jonas isn’t one to sit on past laurels.
In the sticky summer heat at Mumbai’s Mukesh Mills, posing against three-storey-high sets draped in billowing fabric, our cover star is all business, taking powerful strides in vertiginous heels to get from one location to another. Some of us on set today are desk-bound creatures, more used to looking at sunlight through tinted windows whilst sitting under the icy draft of the air conditioner. As such, we’re wilting like battery-less Tamagotchis. But Chopra Jonas’s sweat glands are seemingly on hold. A master of DIY beauty tips (read on to learn more), perhaps she has now discovered new tricks to manoeuvre her pores into obeisance. “I don’t like to come on set unprepared or keep anyone waiting because I’m aware that there are about 300 people on a crew who are waiting for me to do my job properly for us to move on to the next thing,” she declares. “It’s a lot of pressure, but now almost 25 years into my career, it’s something I’m very proud of having learnt early on,” she adds.
“I don’t like to come on set unprepared or keep anyone waiting because I’m aware that there are about 300 people on a crew who are waiting for me to do my job properly for us to move on to the next thing”
Wearing a Falguni Shane Peacock sari shirt and shorts combo paired with Bvlgari’s delicate jewellery, The Bluff actor gives us a peek into her upcoming role as a pirate-turned-domestic goddess. She grabs the red velvet drapes that cascade off a terrace like the sails of a ship, contorting her body into dramatic poses as she’s cheered on by photographer Zhong Lin.
Is she always in control, never at half-mast? “Says who? Instagram? Isn’t that what Instagram is supposed to be? All smiles, glitz and glam?” counters Chopra Jonas. “I have many days where I just don’t want to do anything, or when I’m too exhausted or spent. It’s difficult working in really stressful conditions for months on end. But I just remind myself that I am extremely blessed, and I thank God every day for having a job that I love.”
To a chronically online generation, such displays of logged-out magnetism seem rare. But it is what Chopra Jonas brings to the table—a can-overcome attitude and deep commitment to honing her craft. It fits right into our issue theme, which seeks to spotlight India’s craft legacy in an effort to inspire new generations.
“I have bad days just like everyone else, but I remind myself what a privilege it is to have all that I do, and I stop complaining and go do my job,” Chopra Jonas declares. “I put my feelings aside and deal with them when I get home.” As we speak, those days involve waking up at 5 am, working on set for 12 hours and then heading back to her daughter Malti and mum Madhu.“It’s been amazing to have them with me in Australia, but if I am being totally honest, it’s also really challenging and somewhat isolating to be so far away from everything. My husband is busy with touring at the moment, but he finds the time to fly in for that extra TLC whenever he can,” she confesses.
As seen with her repertoire of diverse roles, Chopra Jonas continues to challenge herself. She’s taken on The Bluff with its unique character arc and will also be seen in the credits as one of its producers. It’s turned her into a sort of thrill-seeker. “I’ve always enjoyed the physicality of it, but you definitely feel it as you get older—the recovery isn’t quite as quick as it is in your twenties,” says Chopra Jonas. And yes, she also likes to do her own stunts.
“I have many days where I just don’t want to do anything, or when I’m too exhausted or spent. It’s difficult working in really stressful conditions for months on end. But I just remind myself that I am extremely blessed, and I thank God every day for having a job that I love.”
To reduce her recovery time, she turns to the home remedies she’s become famous for sharing with her 91 million followers on Instagram. Most recently, it was rubbing raw garlic on her feet to cure inflammation.“The raw garlic thing really had a moment, huh?” she says, with a laugh. “Cuts and bruises are part of the gig, so I love these kinds of age-old solutions along with medical ones. I’ve gotten so many over the years, especially from my mum and grandmum,” she explains, rattling off a list of new nuskhe she has discovered on this journey.
“Right now, I’m drinking warm water, with ginger, turmeric, lemon and honey first thing in the morning to boost my immunity, as I’m filming almost every day and cannot afford to get sick because that will derail the schedule.” For her skin, which is also being put through its paces thanks to that punishing schedule, her mother “has recently been making these rice water and coconut oil masks that help shrink pores and tighten the skin. I put that on before I go to bed.”
There’s still more, thanks to her alchemist mum brewing potions in the kitchen behind the scenes. Have acidity and indigestion? The Chopra apothecary recommends drinking powdered fennel, coriander and cumin seeds with water. Raw ginger juice and honey shots are for soothing a hoarse throat. “We need to do a separate chat on these hacks,” exclaims the actor, explaining that in addition to this long grocery list, she also manages to maintain a six-step night-time routine and regular appointments with her facialist, Sharlina Hassani.
This attention to detail extends to every facet of Chopra Jonas’s life, also visible in the way she engages with fashion. “Everything I wear has to come from a place of confidence—in the outfit itself and in how I’m wearing it. It ties in with being involved in the process and not just wearing anything off the rack. You have to find a way to make it work and personalise it, so that when you step out you do it with confidence,” advises Chopra Jonas.
For this shoot, the Vogue India team tasked some of India’s best designers with executing a modern take on the sari, a Chopra Jonas staple. There’s a sari bodysuit by Ashdeen, decorated with impressive Parsi gara work, a white Amit Aggarwal number that hugs her curves with reverence and a bias-cut sari dress from Savio Jon, which everyone knew would make the cover from the moment she slipped it on. “For me, the design has to make sense. It needs to have a certain je ne sais quoi...it’s personal and difficult to put into words, but whatever I wear, I wear with love and pride and to celebrate its story and its creators.”
Like some of India’s most intricate crafts, Chopra Jonas likes to look beyond surface embellishments for the real prize—finding purpose and meaning in what she does. It’s what drives her to foster films and projects led by women, like her most recent work with To Kill A Tiger. “The purpose behind my decision to produce female-led films is to amplify women’s voices and stories in an industry that is still very male-dominated,” says Chopra Jonas. “I’m also really driven by playing a small part in creating a more inclusive and diverse cinematic landscape. It’s not just about making films for me, it’s about fostering a cultural shift towards recognising and celebrating the multifaceted experiences of women.”
Whether it’s showing the wider world how to make an at-home scrub with besan or wearing an archival Banarasi sari fashioned into a dress (as she did at the star-studded launch of the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre), Chopra Jonas is big on showcasing her roots. “Representation matters, for the audience as well as the talent. When I started out in Hollywood it was quite solitary, but not so much anymore. It’s really exciting. I will always hope and try to push, in my small way, for Indian talent to take over the world of entertainment.”
Credits
Head of Editorial Content: Rochelle Pinto
Photographer: Zhong Lin
Fashion Editor: Tania Fadte
Words by: Shriya Zamindar
Hair: Amit Thakur, Agency: Sparkle Talents
Makeup: Mickey Contractor
Art Director: Aishwaryashree
Designer: Shagun Jangid
Bookings Editor: Aliza Fatma
Fashion Associate: Manglien Gangte
Manicure: Anisha Mulchandani
Entertainment Director: Megha Mehta
Sr. Entertainment Editor (Consultant): Rebecca Gonsalves
Art Coordinator: Surabhi Laddha
Production: Imran Khatri Productions
Assisted by: Yuan-Ling Wang (Photography); Nahid Nawaaz (Styling); Aaliyah Ladhani, Radhika Chemburkar (Production)
Also read:
Priyanka Chopra: “I don’t have everything figured out. I take risks and I enjoy them”
10 interesting facts you probably didn’t know about Priyanka Chopra
Priyanka Chopra Jonas admits she loves dressing up daughter Malti Marie… and forgets about herself
