Bombay is in my blood: Parineeti Chopra

Originally from Ambala in Haryana, Parineeti Chopra came to Mumbai from London (where she went to study business at the Manchester Business School at age 17). She had always wanted to become an investment banker and came in search of a job here. A visit to YRF Studios, where she dropped in to meet her cousin Priyanka Chopra, got her an internship in the marketing department, and later got a break with the same company, as an actress with Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl (2011). Since then she has never looked back.

Not a small-town girl

“After I graduated in 2009, I came to Bombay from London, as there was a recession there and I couldn’t get a job. I thought I would try and get a job here, but even here people weren’t hiring, so I applied to a film company for a marketing job and got it. When I first came here, I stayed with my sister (Priyanka Chopra) as she was the only person I knew here and she knew everybody. I have travelled so much in my life and lived in so many different cities that I felt that culturally Bombay was a city that I connected to. I wanted to stay here as it’s the only city that was closest to my persona. I am not a small town girl at all.”

Instant connect

“After a year of living with Priyanka, once I got my job I moved into my own home. But my go-to-people in the city is Priyanka and her family. I am quite an adjusting person and as I travel four months in a year, I’m very comfortable adapting to new cities. And I fell in love with this city within a couple of days. I just felt at home with the pulse of the city, its buzz and the people. There was an instant connect. I have never felt Bombay is not my city — the weather, sea and the people are so approachable here. One can walk out in a pair of shorts in the middle of the night and nobody will say or do anything. Bombay is so safe for girls. Instantly, I felt that it’s a city to live in.”

I’m calling it Bombay

I have made some wonderful friends here. Even though my best friend is from London, I have many friends here. It is a city of immigrants where people from all over the country come to stay, like the USA. I connected with many especially people from North India as we have a similar upbringing. I love the culture, languages, people, food, local transport... Whether you travel in the local trains, autos or cars, people are so nice here while one is scared of talking to strangers in other cities. The comfort and sense of safety that people give to Bombay is what makes it so beautiful. I insist on calling it Bombay even though it maybe politically incorrect. I am only seven years old in this city but Bombay is in my blood.

Rains make me happy

“I love the monsoons here... When I wake up in the mornings, I draw the curtains aside if it’s a little gloomy and windy with an overcast sky. I feel so happy when I see the rains. Even now, I am sitting outside enjoying the lovely breeze. Yes, there are minor irritations like when you are on the road and stuck in traffic. The infrastucture is not friendly especially with so many potholes and sometimes, it spoils things but even then Mumbai is still beautiful. I have worked out in the rains, put my sunroof down in the car, driven to Nariman Point or Marine Drive to have a chocolate milk shake at the booths there or hot milk in the middle of the night. It’s something so typical of the city.”

My haunts

I have many favourite haunts in Bombay that I keep going to. I am quite a street food person so I love the pav bhaji at Chowpatty, Amar Juice Center, kababs at Bade Miyan, coffee shops at Taj Lands End, Marriot and Westin. Some of the restausrants have such amazing food. I am a foodie so I am always trying out different foods and figuring out new places to eat. In the middle of the night when Bombay is absolutely silent, I drive from Andheri to Nariman Point, crossing the sea link with the music on, at least three times a week. I drive myself. Bombay just lights up in the middle of night. When I first came though, I didn’t have a car I borrowed my friend’s car at night and would drive down to town. It’s the coolest activity to do.

What needs to change

“While I love everything about Bombay, I would like the roads to improve. The roads for me are the worst I have seen in the world. My cars get spoilt, accidents due to waterlogging happens, as the road system is spoilt. Too many potholes, no directions, speedbreakers are so random that one can hardly see them. We need to find a way to streamline the system and construct better roads.”