Priyanka Chopra Jonas on Her Upcoming Production 'Born Hungry' and Why Hyperlocal Narratives Travel Globally

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is all set to make a striking return to Indian cinema as Mandakini in S.S. Rajamouli’s much-awaited film, now titled Varanasi. The adventure epic also stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran alongside her. She also has upcoming Hollywood movies The Bluff and Judgment Day in the pipeline.

But the producer in Chopra Jonas now talks to us about her other project Born Hungry with the energy of someone who instantly recognises a story shaped by movement, reinvention and the search for home. The documentary, centred on chef Sash’s journey from a railway platform in India to an award-winning culinary career in Canada, struck her immediately.

“Just like Sash, I've had an extremely nomadic life,” she says. “From my childhood, my parents were in the military. So we moved around every two years… I decided that my home is wherever my family is. You can put me anywhere. As long as my family and friends are around, I don't feel a lack of belonging.”

The film also hit a deeply emotional place for her. “It like moved me to bits,” she says. “Every time I see it, it makes me cry.” She returns often to the image of Sash as a child, left behind, scanning the platform for his next meal. Motherhood has intensified that reaction. “Now that I'm a young mother, like I can't imagine if my child was out there trying to fend for herself… most of the time, they have to learn to grow up alone. And just thinking about it really, really hurts my heart,” she says.

For Chopra Jonas, the heart of Born Hungry is resilience. “What really moved me was Sash's resilience… the fact that he moved to Canada and found his purpose and said, ‘I'm going to build a life better than I was probably destined for.’ That sense of purpose and resilience gave me goosebumps just talking about it now.” She smiles at the thought of the story’s impact on his own family. “Imagine his own kids… looking up to him and feeling such a sense of inspiration,” she muses.

The film’s emotional weight grew even stronger once she learnt Sash’s hopes for it. “He was hoping to get some answers with this film releasing,” she says. “About his background, about his birth family, about where he comes from and what happened to him.” She hopes the reach of JioHotstar will help return those missing pieces to him. “I'm hoping… we'll be able to find him some answers and that people will really resonate with the story.”

Stills from 'Born Hungry'

When asked about the delicate balance between instinct and commercial sense, she laughs gently. “Art is subjective, first of all. So I'm not claiming that I am the know-all and end-all of what works or what doesn't. I go with my gut instinct.” Her company prioritises a simple combination: global resonance, thematic urgency and strong craft. “It has to be well made. It has to be something that people would be moved by, and at the same time, a story that we feel like needs attention.”

Her own career has moved freely between industries and continents, and she has watched the global gaze on Indian storytelling shift meaningfully over the last decade. “I think it started a while ago,” she says. India now feels like an especially exciting source of content, not just a market. “A really, really interesting place for people to experience content from,” she says. She also notes the rise in visibility of South Asian talent at international events. “When I first started working internationally, there were like four people in the room… now to be able to see many, many people when I walk into international award shows or whatever makes my heart really happy.” Supporting filmmakers like Barry Avrich is part of her mission now. “We want to make sure we shine a spotlight on their talent as far beyond as we can,” she says with resolve.

Looking ahead, Chopra Jonas is sold on the idea that hyperlocal stories that are packaged for universal pull are a next big thing, but she’s also certain that it isn’t a new trend. “I love data. I'm a data geek,” she confesses. For her, the shift truly accelerated with streaming, which opened doors for every kind of subject matter. “There's an audience for almost any kind of subject matter as long as it is well told.” Specificity, she argues, only enriches storytelling. For years she heard that Bollywood didn’t travel because audiences resisted subtitles. “Well, we're not in that world anymore, right?”

Today’s viewers move easily between languages, tones and genres. They expect depth and breadth. “It's not smart to put ourselves in a box with what an audience wants,” she says. “The audience has evolved to wanting almost everything because we have the ability to see anything we want at our fingertips. I think authenticity is what's going to matter,” Chopra Jonas adds.

As a producer, Chopra Jonas has found stories and filmmakers to champion, those that mirror her own artistic compass: resilient in spirit, rooted in truth and ready to take on the world.