Priyanka Chopra’s journey to global stardom is nothing short of inspiring. However, her homecoming to Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, after winning the Miss World 2000 pageant was not as welcoming as one might expect. In a recent interview, Priyanka’s mother, Madhu Chopra, opened up about how the town did not initially embrace her daughter’s monumental achievement due to the prevailing negative perceptions of beauty pageants.

Madhu revealed that, during that era, beauty pageants were often viewed with disdain and criticized for objectifying women. “When she first came to Bareilly after winning Miss World, there was a trend where beauty pageants were seen as a form of ‘nari shoshan’ (oppression of women),” Madhu explained. Despite Priyanka’s victory, the town was reluctant to celebrate her success. She recounted how the Times of India faced difficulties getting permission for Priyanka’s homecoming event. “She was only allowed to have a welcome party within the Army area, limited to Army officers, with no civilians invited,” Madhu said. Despite Priyanka’s triumph as the Millennium Miss World, this restrictive reception was a disappointing experience for the Chopra family.

Despite this, Priyanka remained undeterred by the negativity. Madhu expressed her frustration over how some people imposed misguided beliefs, stating, “She never had to compromise. There was no nari shoshan; she did it on her terms. Instead of criminalizing something as beautiful as beauty pageants, we should be providing women with more opportunities.”

Madhu also acknowledged the complexities of beauty pageants, noting their potential to be a double-edged sword. “Girls can get carried away by the aspirations and when they don’t make it, they may make wrong choices,” she said, emphasizing the importance of self-belief and confidence for young women considering such paths.

 

Contrasting the reception in Bareilly, Madhu highlighted the stark difference in Mumbai, where Priyanka was met with enthusiasm and quickly signed for films. Initially, Priyanka had her sights set on becoming a criminal psychologist or aeronautical engineer, but as her mother noted, “Destiny had other plans.”

Currently, Priyanka is balancing two major projects, the action comedy Heads of State, alongside Idris Elba and John Cena, and the swashbuckling drama The Bluff.