Priyanka Chopra set to play Mindy Kaling's Punjabi cousin in upcoming project
We've got some news! After her 2021 release The Matrix: Resurrections, Bollywood actor Priyanka Chopra is set to work on another Hollywood project, reported The Hollywood Reporter. This time in a Mindy Kaling romantic comedy. The venture marks the first time the duo will be seen on screen together. The Sky is Pink actor is set to play Kaling’s cousin who was born and raised in India.
Kaling, who was recently interviewed by Forbes, said she was proud of the “diverse representation of the Asian experience in her projects.” The writer/comedian shared more details about the upcoming rom-com. The plot revolves around a big fat Indian wedding where Kaling and Chopra will play the role of each other’s cousins. Interestingly, they will both be from different Indian cultures.
Kaling, who has also co-written this romantic comedy, went on to talk about how they have incorporated different Indian cultures in this movie. She said, "We’re really proud of it, we show South Asian Americans that are from Southern Indian. Then we show a Muslim Indian girl. Culturally we see how they’re different from each other. The Asian experience is not a monolith. Why would people necessarily know that if they don’t have shows that explain and explore that difference?"
She added, "I have this movie with Priyanka Chopra, she’s Punjabi Indian from India and I’m an Indian American Bengali girl from the East Coast. It’s so different and that’s what makes our dynamic so fun together."
The Office star earlier shared her excitement to work with someone like the former Miss World, whose shared love of their native country has added more to the storyline. She told FirstPost in May 2020, "What’s so fun about writing that movie is playing with the expectations that Indians and Indian Americans have of each other. I’ve learned so much from Priyanka and her love of India. It’s enhanced my own love and understanding of India."
Chopra is currently shooting for Amazon Prime Video’s web series Citadel with Game of Thrones alum Richard Madden in the lead. The new mom is also set to make her Bollywood comeback with Jee Le Zaraa alongside A-listers Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif.
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