Priyanka Chopra couldn't look at 'dehumanising' director so paid back film production

Los Angeles, May 28

Early into Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Bollywood career, the Indian-born actress paid back a film production after she backed out of filming within days, due to the “dehumanising” director on site, reports ‘Variety’.

In a recent interview with The Zoe Report, the actress explained how nearly two decades ago, as an actress new to the industry, she took money out of her own pocket to remove herself from a set with a degrading crew, adds ‘Variety’.

Priyanka recalled in the interview that she portrayed a character who was going undercover, and how the unnamed director spoke about her and her appearance to the other crew members.

“I’m undercover, I’m seducing the guy — obviously that’s what girls do when they’re undercover,” Priyanka said, according to ‘Variety’.

“But I’m seducing the guy and you have to take off one piece of clothing [at a time]. I wanted to layer up. The filmmaker was like, ‘No, I need to see her underwear. Otherwise why is anybody coming to watch this movie?'” Priyanka added.

“He didn’t say it to me,” Priyanka clarified. “He said it to the stylist in front of me. It was such a dehumanising moment.”

Priyanka, adds ‘Variety’, noted how seriously she takes her craft, and how production teams have at times belittled and misconstrued her strong work ethic. “It was a feeling of, I’m nothing else outside of how I can be used, my art is not important, what I contribute is not important.”

With guidance from her father, Priyanka decided to quit the project. After participating in just two days of work, she stood her ground and took money out of her pocket to pay the production back for what they had spent. “I just couldn’t look at him every day,” Priyanka said.