Priyanka Chopra has admitted she struggled with grief after her beloved father Ashok died in 2013 aged 64 following a long battle with cancer.
In a new interview, the actress, 38, admitted she ‘ran away’ from her parent’s death by accepting the leading role in 2014 biographical film Mary Kom just months after his passing.
The screen star also stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance as she revealed she works 12-hour days during the week, before ‘decompressing’ with her husband Nick Jonas.
‘He was my rock’: Priyanka Chopra has admitted she struggled with grief after her beloved father Ashok died in 2013 aged 64 following a long battle with cancer (pictured in 2010)
On losing her dad, the former Miss World winner hailed him as her ‘rock’ and credited him for instilling ‘duty and discipline’ into her upbringing.
The Bollywood icon told host Vishen Lakhiani on The Mindvalley Podcast: ‘My father was a military man, and there was a lot of equity at home which was put on duty and discipline and work ethic.
‘I understood from very early on that I might be as an actor in a position of power, but it is my job, when I’m hired, to come to work for however many hours.
‘It’s my responsibility from the time I clock in to the time I clock out that I give my 100%. It’s just that sense of duty that my father always instilled in me.’
‘It’s that sense of duty that my father always instilled in me’: In a new interview, the actress, 38, admitted she ‘ran away’ from her parent’s death by accepting movie roles
‘I don’t bring either side of my life into each other’: The screen star also revealed she works 12-hour days during the week, before ‘decompressing’ with her husband Nick Jonas
‘I was running away from the fact that my dad died’: The media personality took on the leading role in 2014 biographical film Mary Kom (pictured) just months after his passing
The media personality confessed she threw herself into her profession in a bid to cope with the tragedy, adding: ‘My parents were both military people so it was just a natural way for me to think.
‘I think I was trying to run away from the fact that my dad died, he had always been my rock.
‘It was solid for me, whether I was doing big roles or small roles, whether I was winning or failing, I’ve always been able to go to work and find something that I can completely immerse myself in. Going back to work was a combination of both.’
The model also discussed splitting her days into two sections to stay ‘sane’ – a technique she’s admitted to only implementing into her life recently.
‘I did not know this six years ago’: The model also discussed splitting her days into two sections to stay ‘sane’ – a technique she’s admitted to only implementing into her life recently
Producer Priyanka shared: ‘I divide my day into two – work and home, that’s it – not very confusing at all. I did not know this six years ago, just figured it out.
‘Work is from 8am until 8pm, so within that time, I fit in all the work requirements. After that time, I’m not available. I’m with my family, I’m at home… decompressing and doing the things that are important to me.
‘That feeds my soul the next morning to open the door and think, ”Where did I leave this off?”
‘I don’t bring either side of my life into each other, and that’s something I learnt from my parents – compartmentalisation is what my mum used to call it.
‘Otherwise there’s no sanity. Actors are treated like… we may be influencers but we’re not policy makers.’
In-depth chat: The Bollywood icon spoke to host Vishen Lakhiani on The Mindvalley Podcast
Detailing her happy place and ‘heaven on earth’, the film star elaborated: ‘Now I’ve reached a place where I like to take my weekends, I usually didn’t have weekend for many, many years. Now I like to spend time with my pups, my family, my friends.
‘I like to have great meals, have frivolous conversation and watching movies. My meditation is being able to run at this crazy place to then being able to just be with my family.
‘Heaven on earth to me is a really long table with all the people that are important to me sitting and enjoying a good meal, having wine and speaking over each other and that moment lasting for hours.’
Elsewhere in the interview, the singer – who recently released her memoir Unfinished – insisted she doesn’t have any limits when it comes to reaching her goals.
Priyanka said: ‘I don’t want to have a glass ceiling for myself. I’ll have to quit when I’m satisfied. Being satisfied is boring, you should be satisfied by food and others things… not by your job or purpose.’
Earlier this month, the brunette confessed to being ‘shocked’ when her 28-year-old husband Nick proposed to her after just two months of dating.
Speaking of the proposal, the film star told Elle UK: ‘I didn’t expect the proposal at that point… It was two months! I thought it would happen, but it was still a complete shock. [But] I relinquished control and I just went with it.
‘Being satisfied is boring’: The singer – who recently released her memoir Unfinished – insisted she doesn’t have any limits when it comes to reaching her goals
‘We were just sporadically meeting for about two years. We were texting and stuff, and there may have been a part of me that wanted something serious.
‘But I was taking a hiatus from guys at that point. I didn’t want anyone romantically. But there’s always been something about Nick, which is why we always ended up staying in touch, no matter where we were.’
The pair went on to tie the knot in a lavish ceremony at Jodphur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace in December 2018, bringing to an end a life-changing year.
The couple work through the challenge of ensuring they see each other every three weeks, as their busy careers keep them in different parts of the world.
‘I just went with it’: Earlier this month, the brunette admitted she was ‘shocked’ when her husband Nick, 28, proposed to her after just two months of dating (pictured in 2020)