Parineeti Chopra

Parineeti Chopra

She was born 22 October 1988and she is an Indian actress who appears in Hindi films. Chopra initially aspired to pursue a career in investment banking, but after obtaining a triple honours degree in business, finance and economics from Manchester Business School she returned to India during the 2009 economic recession and joined Yash Raj Films as a public relations consultant. Later, she signed a three-film deal with the company as an actress.

Parineeti Chopra

Early life

Chopra obtained a triple honours degree in business, finance and economics from Manchester Business School.Chopra was born on 22 October 1988 in Ambala, Haryana into a Punjabi family.Her father, Pawan Chopra, is a businessman and supplier to the Indian Army at Ambala Cantonment and her mother is Reena Chopra. She has two brothers: Shivang and Saraj; actress Priyanka Chopra, Meera Chopra and Barbie Handa are her cousins.Chopra received her early education at the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Ambala Cantonment.In an Interview published in The Hindu, she revealed that she was a very good student and had always wanted to become an investment banker.At the age of 17, Chopra moved to London, where she received a triple honours degree in business, finance and economics from Manchester Business School in the United Kingdom.

In 2009 she returned to India in the wake of the economic recession and moved to Mumbai to stay with her cousin, Priyanka. During a visit to Yash Raj Films studio, Priyanka (who was shooting for Pyaar Impossible!) introduced Parineeti to the head of the public relations team of the company. Chopra obtained an internship in the marketing department, joining the production company as a public-relations consultant. She considered it a perfect job, because she could use what she had learned and work in films. Ironically, Chopra had disliked actors and acting; to her, the profession seemed like an excuse to wear too much makeup. While working and observing actors, however, her perception changed. She realised that she never understood acting and her respect for the profession increased.



Acting career

Chopra at promotional event for Ladies vs Ricky BahlWhile working on promotions for Band Baaja Baaraat, Chopra realised that she wanted to become an actress and decided to resign from her executive position with Yash Raj Films to attend acting school. Film director Maneesh Sharma suggested signing Chopra to Aditya Chopra, vice-president of Yash Raj Films. Appalled by the idea of recruiting someone from his marketing team as an actress, the vice-president refused. When Parineeti Chopra told Sharma she was leaving her job to attend acting school he advised her to meet the company's casting director,who asked her to do a "dummy audition for fun". Chopra remembered "fooling around with a camera" and delivering lines by the character Geet from the film Jab We Met, never expecting producer Aditya Chopra to see the tape. However, when the producer saw the tape he was impressed with her acting. With Sharma describing her "phenomenal" in the screen test,Chopra was signed to a three-film deal Chopra's colleagues later told her she was a "misfit in an office situation".

Parineeti Chopra

Chopra's second release, and her first lead role, was Habib Faisal's romantic drama Ishaqzaade with Arjun Kapoor. The film revolves around two political families, whose rivalry (and mutual hatred) go back generations. Chopra played the boisterous and feisty tomboy Zoya, a Muslim girl who marries a Hindu boy and gives birth to new rivalry in both families. The film received positive reviews from critics, and Chopra earned critical acclaim for her performance.Taran Adarsh observed, "Parineeti Chopra is simply fantastic in this high-voltage drama. Playing the part of a spirited gun-toting girl, she is not the regular timid, decorous, withdrawn Hindi film heroine. She portrays the violent behavior coupled with the audacious and brash attitude with aplomb"and Reviewer Mrigank Dhaniwala of Koimoi added that "Parineeti Chopra, whom we loved in Ladies vs Ricky Bahl, shines again in a complex and intense role. She looks very good and acts like a song. Arjun and Parineeti’s on-screen chemistry and excellent performances are the highlights of the film."Film critic Rajeev Masand lebelled her the "biggest strength of the film".The film grossed over INR46 crore (US$7.5 million) at the domestic box office, and was credited as a super hit.Chopra earned a National Film Award – Special Mention at the 60th National Film Awards, receiving her first nominations for the Filmfare Award for Best Actress, Screen and Apsara awards.As of September 2014, Chopra has several projects in various stages of production. She has completed Shaad Ali's Kill Dil, with Ranveer Singh and Ali Zafar, describing it as the first "glamorous" role of her career.She has signed Illuminati Films's next production to be directed by Dinesh Vijan alongside Saif Ali Khan.