Priyanka Chopra Jonas started out as a Bollywood star in her native country India but has successfully rebranded herself as a mainstay in Hollywood, and her best movies and TV shows represent a mix of the two eras of her acting career. While some of her best works continue to be critical and commercial Hindi-language hits, the Miss World 2000 winner has carved her niche in the U.S. with roles in multi-genre productions. In India, the model-turned-actress also dabbled in singing, having collaborated with major artists like Pitbull and Will.i.am. So, it’s no surprise that she always aspired to diversify her career to new levels.
From playing the villain in the Baywatch film adaptation to leading the romantic comedy Love Again, Chopra Jonas has become one of the most successful Indian actors in Hollywood movies. Chopra Jonas is also equally proficient as a television actress marking her American TV debut with the thriller series Quantico and later starring opposite Richard Madden in the spy action drama Citadel. As for which of her Indian and American productions remain her strongest works, here is a ranking of Priyanka Chopra Jonas's best movies and TV shows.
Krrish (2006)
A sequel to the E.T.-inspired sci-fi movie Koi Mil Gaya, Krrish is notable for carving its own niche in the nascent Indian superhero genre. The titular protagonist, played by frequent Priyanka Chopra Jonas collaborator Hrithik Roshan, is introduced as a small-town man with superhuman abilities who gets smitten by the journalist Priya (Chopra Jonas). Following her from India to Singapore, he takes on a masked identity to use his powers for good. While Krrish deserves recognition among the best non-English superhero movies, Chopra Jonas's character here is mostly reduced to a damsel in distress and Krrish’s love interest.
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
The fourth installment in the Matrix franchise offers some nostalgia to fans of Neo and his interdimensional adventures. While the chemistry between returning leads Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss is laudable, new additions like Yahya Abdul Mateen-II and Jonathan Groff are also praiseworthy. While much went wrong with The Matrix Resurrections, the movie expectedly features well-executed action and visual effects. Priyanka Chopra Jonas has a brief role in the Matrix sequel as an adult version of the exile program Sati, and the actress emulates her friendly nature well.
Isn’t It Romantic (2019)
The Netflix original movie Isn’t It Romantic parodies romantic comedy clichés by starring Rebel Wilson as an architect who, after being rendered unconscious, finds herself in a plot where her life seems to be picture-perfect. Priyanka Chopra Jonas co-stars as a billboard model who is a yoga trainer in the protagonist’s fantasy world. The character proved that Chopra Jonas can hold her own even in a supporting role and is all the more interesting given her own modeling background.
We Can Be Heroes (2020)
A sequel to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D, the family-friendly sci-fi action comedy We Can Be Heroes features Pedro Pascal and Priyanka Chopra Jonas among its supporting adult cast. Set in a world where every superhero is abducted by aliens, We Can Be Heroes focuses on the efforts of their children to save them and the rest of the planet. Even with its straightforward narrative, the movie doubles as an enjoyable superhero satire with Chopra Jonas shining as Ms. Granada, the villain to the young heroes. We Can Be Heroes parodies DC and Marvel superheroes with hilarious results.
Mary Kom (2014)
Many of Priyanka Chopra Jonas's earlier movies during her Bollywood career relegated the actress to a love interest role. However, with films like Mary Kom she got the spotlight on herself playing strong female leads. The biopic found Chopra Jonas playing the titular Olympic bronze-winning boxer. The actress gives her all as she takes on Kom’s humble origins and also showcases her physical transformation in the training montages and bouts in the ring. However, Chopra Jonas's casting proved to be controversial as her facial features are drastically different from those of the real Mary Kom.
Citadel (2023-)
Executive produced by the Russo brothers, Citadel is an action thriller with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Game of Thrones star Richard Madden playing agents of the titular spy organization. The Prime Video original deals with the Citadel agents recollecting their memories after a mass brainwashing leads to a crime syndicate taking over the world. Citadel uses the amnesia cliche to its advantage, and Chopra Jonas’s bold performance as Nadia Sinh and her effortless chemistry with Madden establish her as an action star in the series.
Bajirao Mastani (2015)
A period musical romance from acclaimed director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Bajirao Mastani covers the love triangle involving the Indian military leader Bajirao I, his wife Kashibai, and the warrior Mastani, who later became his second spouse. Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays the envious wife who gets ignored, a role she portrays with the required intensity. Bajirao Mastani emerged as a major critical and financial hit in India, lauded even at the time as one of the best Chopra Jonas movies. Its visually striking musical numbers find the actress delivering some of her most nuanced dance moves.
Love Again (2023)
A significant number of Priyanka Chopra Jonas's movies delve into romance, and Love Again follows suit but with a touch of melancholia. Chopra Jonas leads the Love Again cast as Mira, a children’s author grieving the death of her fiancé by still writing him texts. When these messages accidentally get sent to a journalist (played by Sam Heughan), he starts falling for her. Exploring grief and its aftermath, Love Again is an emotional throwback to '90s rom-coms. Singer Celine Dion is also a delightful part of the movie, appearing as herself cast and performing new songs on Love Again’s soundtrack.
The White Tiger (2021)
Booker Prize-winning novels make for great movies, as can be seen with the film adaptation of Arvind Adiga’s The White Tiger. The English-language Netflix original serves as a commentary on caste and class differences in India. The movie’s breakout star is the BAFTA-nominated lead, Gourav Adarsh, who effortlessly captures the naivety of a villager in the big city. A supporting member of the White Tiger cast, Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays the hero's American-Indian employer, Pinky, with enough style and charm. The White Tiger deservedly earned acclaim for its socio-political overtones and Ramin Bahrani's adapted screenplay, which received an Oscar nomination.
Barfi! (2012)
India's official submission for Best International Feature at the 2013 Oscars, Barfi! stars Indian actor Ranbir Kapoor as a deaf man whose bumbling misadventures are reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin comedies. Priyanka Chopra Jonas plays the hero's friend and eventual love interest, Jhilmil, a naive and cheerful woman on the autism spectrum. A tear-jerking love triangle follows as another woman comes into play. The blend of slapstick with melodramatic romance makes Barfi! a timeless Bollywood comedy-drama. The movie's optimistic songs are a major highlight with some of the best of them framed around Chopra Jonas and Kapoor's playful antics. Despite Jhilmil’s kind-hearted simplicity, she ranks among Chopra Jonas's most challenging performances.
Kaminey (2009)
The Hindi neo-noir Kaminey is one of the greatest Priyanka Chopra Jonas movies when it comes to her supporting performances. Set in the underbelly of the Mumbai underworld, Kaminey revolves around twin brothers as they get caught up in a criminal conspiracy during the course of a day. Chopra Jonas stars as Sweety, the sister of a ruthless and overprotective politician and one of the twins’ romantic partners. As Sweety plans to escape from her seemingly meaningless life for a better future, Chopra captures the character’s dreamy-eyed persona. Her performance along with that of Shahid Kapoor in the dual role makes Kaminey a cult classic in the Indian crime genre.
Dil Dhadakne Do (2015)
The year 2015 was quite profitable for the actress as it delivered two of the best Priyanka Chopra Jonas movies: Bajirao Mastani and Dil Dhadakne Do. The latter is a dysfunctional family drama set in the backdrop of a cruise vacation. The movie finds a wealthy family opening up about their multitude of issues. A far cry from the one-dimensional female characters in her early 2000s-era films, it stars Chopra Jonas as Ayesha Mehra, a woman with a successful travel business who seeks to end her troubled marriage. The movie’s witty screenplay and stellar ensemble, featuring some of the biggest names in Bollywood, make Dil Dhadakne Do a memorable watch.
Fashion (2008)
As is evident from the title, this drama is set in the Indian fashion world, covering the ups and downs of several models. Priyanka Chopra Jonas leads the ensemble of Fashion as Meghna Mathur, a small-town girl who dreams of becoming a supermodel. Then, as rags-to-riches stories go, she discovers that fame and glamor come at a price. While it has its fair share of familiar tropes, Fashion earned rave reviews for being a sensitive women-centric film within mainstream Bollywood. Chopra Jonas, who came from a modeling background herself, is a highlight of the movie, and her performance earned her a National Film Award from the Indian government.
The Sky Is Pink (2019)
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has reduced her appearances in Hindi-language movies since she began headlining Hollywood productions. However, in 2019, she proved she’s still proficient in revisiting her roots with The Sky is Pink, an emotionally-charged drama based on a tragic true story. The Sky is Pink ends the Delhi trilogy, which is a series of thematically-linked works by director Shonali Bose. Chopra Jonas stars as Aditi Chaudhary, the mother of a girl with a terminal illness. If her parenting struggles weren’t enough, the character also faces a rocky phase in her marriage. Chopra Jonas perfectly channels the character’s grief adding depth to this bittersweet tale of love and acceptance.
7 Khoon Maaf (2011)
Based on a short story by Indian writer Ruskin Bond, 7 Khoon Maaf finds Priyanka Chopra Jonas in her best movie role to date playing the Anglo-Indian femme fatale Susanna Anna-Marie Johannes, who murders her six husbands in an endless quest for true love. The black comedy sees Chopra Jonas taking on a complex character as she explores different shades of toxic romance and her homicidal ways of getting out of it. Doubling as a crime mystery and an engaging character study, 7 Khoon Maaf was a milestone in Chopra Jonas’s career as a lead actress. Her performance received a Filmfare Award, which is one of Bollywood’s most prestigious honors.
Quantico (2015-2018)
The best Priyanka Chopra Jonas TV show, Quantico stars the actress as FBI recruit Alex Parrish. Chopra Jonas’s casting was historic, as she became the first South Asian woman to headline an American network series. The role created much excitement among the Indian diaspora, and Chopra Jonas delivered on the hype. The American thriller series shifts timelines between Parrish’s FBI training and a larger conspiracy that paints her as a prime suspect behind a terrorist attack. Alex Parrish emerged as a fan-favorite Quantico character to root for, with Chopra Jonas also showcasing her action star potential that was tapped further in Citadel.