Citadel actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Pathaan star Shah Rukh Khan might have been the best of friends in the days of Don and Don 2, but it seems those days are behind us now. This is because Priyanka recently had an intense response to Shah Rukh denying having Hollywood aspirations.
Here’s what transpired between the two industry bigwigs.
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What Shah Rukh Khan said about going to Hollywood
Credit: Excel Entertainment
Back in the day, Shah Rukh had cited several self-deprecating reasons as to why he doesn’t think Hollywood is the place for him, saying, “My English is not good, if they give me a role of a dumb person who doesn’t speak, maybe then there’s a possibility. I am not trying to be modest, I am 42 years old. I am a little brown. I don’t have any USP as an actor, I don’t have any specialty. I don’t know Kung Fu, I don’t dance salsa, and I am not tall enough…I have seen the recent European films, there is no place for me there, no space for me. I don’t think I’m talented enough. Instead, I would like to continue working in India and take Indian cinema to the world.”
Recently, a reporter at the SXSW festival asked Priyanka Chopra to comment on the following statement: “Shah Rukh Khan says, ‘Why should I go there (Hollywood), I am comfortable here.’” Despite being an innocuous and very old statement from SRK, it resulted in a fiery reply from Priyanka Chopra.
Priyanka’s response to SRK’s statement
Credit: Excel Entertainment, Red Chillies Entertainment
According to Indian Express, Priyanka reacted to Shah Rukh’s statement, saying,”Comfortable is boring to me. I am not arrogant, I am self-assured. I know what I am doing when I walk onto a set. I don’t need the validation of executives. I am willing to take auditions, I am willing to work. I do not carry the baggage of my success in one country when I walk into another country.”
Hardly a “To each their own” response, Priyanka really raised eyebrows with her subtle, indirect flak towards SRK’s statement.
Did SRK’s response warrant the clapback from Priyanka?
Credit: Excel Entertainment
Priyanka has virtually become the spokesperson for Bollywood imports in Hollywood. So, everytime a Bollywood celebrity is quizzed about their Hollywood aspirations, people reach out to Priyanka for her comments on the matter. Hence, one could argue that she only reacted because the question was posed to her.
However, many also feel that there’s an underhanded diss directed to SRK in her comment. This is because she reacted by calling his choice to be comfortable, something she considers boring in her case. Not only that, but she also pointedly mentions not being arrogant and how she doesn’t “carry the baggage” of her success in one country when she goes to another. Many read into this and felt it might imply that Shah Rukh does. Is that fair, when all Shah Rukh said was that he’s happy to stay where he is, and did not slam anyone else’s Hollywood ambitions?
Priyanka has been mocked for going to Hollywood
Credit: Excel Entertainment
Before one jumps to slam Priyanka, it should be noted that she has been mocked for hustling her way to Hollywood. On shows like Koffee With Karan, the likes of Kareena Kapoor Khan have made statements like “Sab bus pakad ke Hollywood jaa rahe hain,” about Priyanka and Deepika Padukone foraying into Hollywood, as if it’s an easy thing to do.
Given this, and how Priyanka is someone who put in a lot of work to get where she is, it’s understandable for her to feel like the efforts behind her meteoric rise are often undermined by people who haven’t done the work she has. The fact that Priyanka makes moving to Hollywood seem easy is perhaps why her response was so strongly worded.
That said, it’s also fair for someone to not have the same aspirations as her. Shah Rukh Khan was and continues to be a huge star in India. Moving to Hollywood shouldn’t be the benchmark on which we base an actor’s success. So, was he really so wrong in saying that he doesn’t feel the need to go to Hollywood?
Tell us your views on this in the comments. Aren’t both of them right in their own place?
Lead image credit: Excel Entertainment, Red Chillies Entertainment
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