On Priyanka Chopra’s Father’s 12th Death Anniversary, A Throwback Interview On Her Dad

When her father fell ill,  Priyanka recalled her earliest  memories  of her father. “My Dad is really tall. And I was just 2 or 3.  I’d always try  to   pass through his legs and he’d  clamp my  neck  as I  did so. My earliest memory  is  of me howling because my Dad  wouldn’t let me  pass  through his legs. He  had a  bike which  I loved  to take  rides  on.” 

     Priyanka was born  in Jamshedpur . “My Nanajee lives there. I visit him regularly.  As a child I loved   reading. I just loved sitting  on the window  and reading and watching down   on  the streets.  My dad  was  in the army so we were always  on the move.  He taught me  to  drive  at 13 when he’d take me  to  school. I was very scared of driving….My dad  used to be  a  doctor in the army until he  took voluntary retirement in 1997. He’ s a  trained  artiste, painter and singer. He used   to be  called  the singing surgeon.  He used to  do shows  for  the army.   I’ve  inherited  a  fondness for singing  from  my dad. One  of my earliest memories  at 3  is  of  my dad  on stage  looking at me  and  singing. If he  didn’t look  at me  and sing I’d  get extremely  miffed.  Sometimes  he used   to call me up on stage to sing  an African  song that I knew.”

When Priyanka decided to  participate  in  the Miss India she  was apprehensive of her father’s reaction. “We come from  a  very conservative family. All this glamour and showbiz was  very new to my dad. It was my mom  who told him  about my plans…I  wasn’t willing  to talk to him about  it.  Initially  he wasn’t convinced.  But my mom and I  reasoned it was just a holiday in Mumbai and that I didn’t stand  a chance in hell of winning.  Who knew?! I had never modeled  before. I had my portfolio done for  the first time  for  the pageant. I thought myself  as    a very ugly  child. I saw myself  as an ugly duckling who’s one day turn into a swan. I believe  in fairy tales. I used to cry before my mom about how  ugly  I was . Even now  it takes 90 minutes of  hair clothes and makeup to make me  look decent.After  I won  Miss India  my mom  and I  moved to Mumbai. Dad joined us later. And so did my brother. Dad   has always been super-encouraging.  We bought a   house and started a  clinic for   mom  and dad. They became practicing  doctors again .  He later joined Leelavati  as   managing director.”

   The  aura of  happiness fades. “His illness has been a  blow. My Dad always told me   to  keep working normally.  I’d never let him down by  letting the strain show. Now that he’s healing  I feel grateful ….grateful that  this trauma  happened at a time when  I could afford his treatment . I’m so relieved I could  afford him  the  best treatment.  If it had happened two years ago I wouldn’t have been able to do anything. I’ve always believed  daughters care as much  as sons, if not  more.  And   even  when they get married they  continue to care   a lot more  for their parents.  Sons are a lot more swayed .  My  mom  has several sisters and  my Naani stays  with all  of them.”