EXCLUSIVE: Anjula Acharia says Priyanka Chopra was ‘meant to be a global star’, recalls how she helped Desi Girl break into Hollywood

Anjula Acharia broke the glass ceiling and became one of the leading ladies in business and entertainment in Hollywood. Recently, she was featured on the front cover of Billboard. In an exclusive conversation with Pinkvilla, she opened up on helping Priyanka Chopra Jonas break into Hollywood, her full circle moment, and bringing more South Asian artists in front of the North American audience. 

For Anjula Acharia, passion and ambition were what helped her feature on the front cover of Billboard. The entrepreneur exclusively told Pinkvilla she is on a mission to shape culture by driving more representation into the zeitgeist.

When asked how she succeeded in launching Priyanka Chopra Jonas in Hollywood, the brand strategist stated, “When I met Priyanka, I knew instantly that she was meant to be a global star.”

Heaping praise on the Bajirao Mastani actress, Acharia divulged that PeeCee’s talent, wit, charm, and incredible beauty were just a few of the qualities that made her a natural superstar.

“Even though there were barely any brown faces in Hollywood at the time, I was confident I could help her break through. There were many critics. It had not been done before, so skepticism led the discourse. I’m glad I stayed true to the goal, and it served me well,” expressed Anjula.

While talking to us, Chopra’s manager revealed that at first, their vision was to launch her as a music artist. Hence, she worked closely with her mentor, Jimmy Lovine, signed the Indian actress to her label, and began developing her sound.

“But acting was always her true love and calling, and I recognized that. I negotiated a deal with ABC and secured her lead role in Quantico. Once America saw her, they fell in love. Soon she was gracing the covers of every major American publication,” stated the businesswoman, adding that the moment truly marked the beginning of something big.

While talking about her decade-long collaboration with the Desi Girl, Anjula went back in time and recalled their first meeting. Sharing the funny story, she divulged that Chopra was filming a very serious movie in the middle of a jungle, and they talked on a satellite phone. “She was incredibly quiet, and when I got off, I called Jimmy Lovine and told him I’d blown it. Later, I found out she was quite impressed and was intently listening. Sometimes silence speaks volumes,” exclaimed the founder of A-Series Investments.

Acharia also joined hands with ace singer and music composer AR Rahman for Jai Ho Remix. Talking about him, she stated that Rahman is a musical genius, and she believes the West has recognized his magic. When quizzed about the rising popularity of Punjabi singers like Diljit Dosanjh, Karan Aujla, and more, she stated that their tracks are catchy.

Even if someone doesn’t understand the language, they can vibe to the beats, just like how many people connect with popular Spanish songs. “You don’t need to understand the lyrics to love the music. We have not seen another collaboration like Beware Of The Boys by Jay-Z and Punjabi MC on that global crossover scale. I’m excited and waiting for that to happen again,” she wished for.

King Charles also invited the brand manager to the Humanitarian Reception at Buckingham Palace. Sharing her experience of being part of the event, Anjula told us, “Facing racism as a South Asian girl growing up in the UK inspired my mission to bring more representation of our community into pop culture. Being invited to Buckingham Palace by the King of England because of that work was a full-circle moment for me.”

She concluded by stating that she is introducing the world to the next generation of global pop stars through her label. Additionally, one of their first singles is coming out soon, and they’re leading the rise of South Asian music artists in the U.S.

For more updates, stay tuned to Pinkvilla!

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