Fortune India Exclusive: Why Priyanka Chopra Jonas is the cross-border alpha

SEVEN YEARS. That’s how long she has been away from Indian cinema. Yet, Priyanka Chopra Jonas remains a top celebrity brand. According to the Fortune India-Interbrand study of India’s Most Valuable Celebrities, the U.S.-based actor’s moat has been her ability to effectively balance her presence and career, in both, Hollywood and Indian cinema. She is, according to the study, the “cross-border alpha”, having — marginally — decoupled from the domestic Bollywood cinema, positioning herself as a “global Indian institution”. Her lead role in Varanasi, a storyline where a devotee of Hindu deity Shiva is sent on a mysterious mission to find an ancient cosmic artefact, has triggered pan-India interest. “This collaboration has created a massive high intent visibility bubble in the South, proving her market elasticity by re-entering the mass-market with a Hollywood premium,” says the study, which ranks her at No. 3 with a brand value of ₹2,507 crore. The fact that she ranks among the top three celebrity brands in India — despite her last released film in the country being the 2019 Siddharth Roy Kapur production The Sky Is Pink — reflects two things: Chopra commands a strong association with the brands she works with; and two, she still commands a pan-India presence as a celebrity. Between 2020 and 2025, she worked in 11 ventures, including the Citadel series, appearing in the Super Soul talk show hosted by Oprah Winfrey, three documentaries, and other production ventures. “What makes Priyanka Chopra Jonas such an inspiring figure is her remarkable combination of talent, determination, and humanity. She has crossed geographic, cultural, and professional boundaries with extraordinary grace, becoming a true global icon,” Jean-Christophe Babin, CEO, Bvlgari, tells Fortune India. Chopra is a global brand ambassador for the Italian luxury brand. A risk-taker “I love the film and TV medium and have not kept a glass ceiling for myself. I lead with my curiosity; it is a gamble always going into uncharted territory,” Chopra tells Fortune India. This was apparent in her early days as an actor, starting with her 2002 Tamil debut film Thamizhan with superstar Vijay (now a politician and the chief minister of Tamil Nadu). On Instagram, Chopra had recounted that experience in a conversation, about the thousands of people who came to watch Vijay. Chopra had said she realised that “fame was a by-product of the job. It isn’t the job and that’s when it became real fun.” Other risky roles included Aitraaz (2004), a movie loosely based on Barry Levinson’s Disclosure; playing an autistic girl in Barfi! (2012), and the woman warrior Kashibai in Bajirao Mastani (2015). “I’m not risk-averse in my investments. I like to see how I can expand myself in various ventures and avenues,” Chopra says. This was seen when, while building a career in the U.S., she signed a global recording agreement with Universal Music Group for a music album. This venture was short-lived but it helped build her brand. In 2013, she launched her production house Purple Pebble Pictures (PPP). The difference, compared to her Bollywood peers, was that she focussed on regional cinema, particularly Marathi, Bhojpuri, Nepali and Assamese, between 2016 and 2019. In later years, several were English language productions. In 2018, Chopra became an early investor in dating and social media app Bumble. She brought it to India in December 2018 and became the company’s brand ambassador. Now it functions independent of her. “It has found its own legs. My brother (Siddharth) and his wife Neelam had met on Bumble,” Chopra says. All these decisions show Chopra’s conviction in her decisions, having the ability to create a path and being true to herself. These have helped build Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the individual. Building her brand Even before Priyanka Chopra the celebrity found her footing in the U.S. with series such as Quantico (2015-18) and then Citadel (2023-onwards), she was well-versed with the promotion and marketing of brands such as Garnier (from the L’Oreal stable) and P&G’s Pantene. Her engagement with brands that she endorses is another space where she scores heavily, compared to other celebrities. For her it has rarely been just a commercial transaction. In April this year, she became the global brand ambassador for British luxury automaker Bentley Motors. “I’ve always been drawn to Bentley’s commitment to craftsmanship and storytelling, because there’s an intentionality behind every detail that feels rare. As someone who lives for the creative energy of being on set, this collaboration felt instinctive,” Chopra was quoted as saying in a Bentley Media official statement. She has also been Bvlgari’s global brand ambassador since 2021, showcasing high-end jewellery, fragrances and watches. “Bvlgari is a brand that embodies Italian excellence, creativity, and transformation; Priyanka represents that same contemporary energy, a modern straightforward woman who inspires, innovates, and creates meaningful impact around the world,” says Babin. “Her solar and witty presence brings a strong human and cultural dimension to our narrative, while Bvlgari offers her an international platform that celebrates her sophistication, individuality, and extraordinary charisma.” Chopra has a clear brand curation strategy. “I like to be with category leaders in any brand I associate with. It has to be authentic to me,” Chopra says. She candidly recounts that growing up in a small town like Bareilly, “I did not know much about luxury brands and was probably not a brand fit at that time. But I realise that in my journey, there has to be a similar storytelling about where I am today. Then we can be assets to each other.” She says there has to be an authentic engagement that is “true and a real part of my life. I do not want to get my name on anything which is random and not a part of my life. Advertising should be like that, otherwise it feels like a transactional relationship; it does not lead to more.” Chopra is set to announce two more global brand deals in the coming weeks, she says — one in the luxury watches space and another in apparel — without disclosing more details. ESG-focussed investment In the Interbrand study, Chopra collects a social score of 7.0; her brand is considered the gold standard for ESG-focussed investment. This stems from her role with UNICEF, which signals associating with brands that create a social impact. “I have always felt a social responsibility. It started from my parents when I was growing up. There was always a give back component,” Chopra says. Her maternal grandmother, Madhu Jyotsna Akhouri, served as an MLA in the Bihar Legislative Assembly in the 1960s. “I now understand what privilege is, but we understood our privilege then too, compared to so many others. That was instilled in me from a very young age; to be aware and to know that whenever you feel like you are in a bad situation, there are people in worse situations,” she says. Social commitment does “not mean you have to spend your lifetime or your savings for a cause. It means having an awareness of the world around you and doing the best that you can,” she says, adding, even having an approach towards being happy for other people’s success, is good enough. “Beyond her international success, what we admire most is her authenticity and approachability. Priyanka uses her voice and influence to champion meaningful causes, support women’s empowerment, and encourage younger generations to believe in their ambitions and potential. She possesses a rare ability to be both powerful and deeply empathetic at the same time,” adds Babin. Films and more Chopra talks with reverence about working with Rajamouli. “I got a warm welcome from him. He is a treasure of Indian cinema, with a unique vision and a confidence which is very infectious. After nearly 25 years in the industry, I consider myself a student of life. I do have experience enough to know my job very well, but there is so much room for growth.” Working with Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran — icons of Telugu and Malayalam cinema, respectively, in the film — “brings incredible insight into what it is like to work as an actor outside of Bollywood”, she says, adding that Varanasi has been a long and laborious but extremely fulfilling experience. Touted as the most expensive film ever produced in India — with a budget of ₹1,200-1,400 crore ($135-150 million) — the buzz around it is loud enough, as it readies for a global release in nearly 120 countries on April 7, 2027. “What we are trying to do is something so ambitious and of a scale not seen for a very long time. I am very privileged and excited not just for India but also the world, because this will be a massive global release and people will be exposed to what we have been working on for the past three years.” Shooting on the sets of Varanasi is “furious and funny,” Chopra says from Hyderabad, where she is on a whirlwind shoot for the film. “The families of all the actors are around. It is fun, we’re laughing, watching IPL matches, but there is also immense focus, rehearsals, and focus-driven work.” She is also working with Lord of the Rings and Hobbit series star Orlando Bloom in a PPP co-production, besides Mira Nair’s biographical drama Amri. “When I started, scripts were not customised for me. My husband Nick (Jonas) recently said (quoting singer Beyoncé) that ‘You are on the other side of your sacrifice’,” Chopra says. Her career was built on opportunities and doing her best work. “I can now pick and choose and create my own projects,” she says. Chopra finds fellow actors and friends Penélope Cruz, Salma Hayek, and Angelina Jolie inspirational. She will be working with Jolie in an upcoming project, she says, without disclosing more details. Talking business As an entrepreneur, Chopra’s haircare vegan brand Anomaly met with success in the initial years. Launched in 2021, it created a strong presence in North America and the U.K. Earlier this year, Reliance Retail acquired Anomaly and is placing a bet on what it can become. “Isha (Ambani, who leads Reliance Retail) has the foresight. I did not have the opportunity to expand it that much. She was the best partner I could trust. I am grateful to be working with Reliance — they are leaders in what they do,” Chopra says. Expansion plans are being drawn out and Anomaly will get a relaunch in 2027. Chopra has plans to work in the F&B space again. She had co-founded an upscale Indian restaurant called SONA in New York, but then stepped away, and it shut down in 2023. “I am working on something in that lane, a global venture,” she says, without sharing more details. The coming 12-18 months are busy, exciting but also interesting times for Chopra, the actor and the celebrity brand. The commercial and critical response to Varanasi could impact her near-term cinematic career in India. Her upcoming ventures as an entrepreneur and celebrity brand will also continue to be critical to strengthening her position at the top.

Fortune India Exclusive: Why Priyanka Chopra Jonas is the cross-border alpha

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