There is a saying that “You can take an Indian out of India, but you can never take India out of an Indian” and this genuinely applies to actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who got married to US pop star Nick Jonas.
In a new promo of her interview with US talk show host Oprah Winfrey, she opened up about her strong spiritual foundation, which she developed while growing up with people from different religions in India.
While reading Priyanka’s memoir ‘Unfinished’, Oprah shared that it reminded her of her own time in India and the strong presence and influence of "spiritual energy".
When asked if she had a 'spiritual foundation', Priyanka said, “I think I did. In India, it is hard not to… I grew up in a convent school. I was aware of Christianity. My dad used to sing in a mosque, I was aware of Islam. I grew up in a Hindu family, I was aware of that. Spirituality is such a large part of India that you really can’t ignore it.”
Being brought up in a secular environment, Priyanka reveals that Christianity, Islam and Hinduism had had a strong influence on her life.
While growing up, Priyanka said that her late father, Dr. Ashok Chopra, always taught her that all religions are ways to the same God.
"I am a Hindu. I pray, I have a temple at my home, I do it as often as I can. But truly to me, I am a believer that a higher power does exist and I like to have faith in that," she said.
Priyanka, who released her bestseller memoir ‘Unfinished’ at age 38, revealed that it was her feeling of being secure of her journey and experiences that prompted her to share it with the world. She also had ample time during the Covid-19 lockdown to sit down and pen the book.
"Honestly, I also feel like I, as a woman, I'm in a little bit more of a secure place, where I felt like I could leave behind the insecurities of my 20s and like not worry about that used to scare me before as much."
"I have a little bit more confidence in myself. What I bring to the table professionally, personally... so that really helped me address my life. And I always wanted to write a book and I thought the easiest way to do it is to write about my life. It wasn't," she added.
From being crowned Miss World in 2000 to carving a niche for herself in Bollywood and Hollywood and becoming a global icon, Priyanka has come a long way and has penned her experiences in her memoir.
The actress is currently shooting for Citadel in England and has ‘Text For You’, ‘Matrix 4’ and a film based on the life of spiritual guru Maa Anand Sheela in the pipeline.