Priyanka Chopra: Why do we only have to play the sidekick?

Global icon Priyanka Chopra feels that the characters she plays in mainstream American movies and TV will help open doors for 'Indian and south Asian talents' in Hollywood mainstream entertainment.

While speaking at an entrepreneurial summit in New Delhi, Chopra said that people from Asia, especially from India, are offered more cliched roles, which includes anything from a shopkeeper to the member of a big fat Punjabi family.

"I am playing characters which have nothing to do with my ethnicity which I feel will open the door for Indian talent or South Asian talent to become mainstream which will open the door for people to see us as mainstream entertainment in global movies, why do we only have to play the sidekick," asserted Chopra.

Speaking about her path towards American TV show 'Quantico', she said that before an offer was made to her for the role in it, she made it clear to the American producers that she "did not want" to play the cliched roles Indians are known to portray. "I'm going to play the leading lady and I'm not going to compromise on that, simple," she added.

Priyanka Chopra, well known for Bollywood movies like 'Bajirao Mastaani' and 'Mary Kom', will be next seen in the American movie 'Isn't It Romantic' which is set to release in 2019.