Priyanka Chopra on starring in Arabic movies and learning the language: 'I would love to'

The Indian actress says she's willing to overcome the language barrier to work in a new film industry

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra at the premiere of 'The Sky Is Pink' at the 44th annual Toronto International Film Festival in September 2019. EPA

In her 20-year acting career, Priyanka Chopra has worked on movies and TV projects in both Bollywood and Hollywood. Is the Middle East's film industry next on her list?

In an interview with Africa News, Chopra expressed her desire to appear in Arabic films, but added that the language barrier could prove to be a challenge.

“I would love to. I just don’t speak the language,” she said. “I would love to be a part of the film industry anywhere. I love my job and I would learn a new language if I had to.”

Chopra also revealed that she is working on a number of projects, including an unscripted series about the sangeet, a part of the Indian wedding ceremony for which the couple’s union is celebrated through music. She is working with her husband, Nick Jonas, on the untitled series.

She said she is doing a “buddy comedy” with actress Mindy Kaling, too, and a new series for Amazon, produced by the Russo brothers.

The actress and model also has two deals with Netflix for films to be released in the coming months. One is a science-fiction fantasy titled We Can Be Heroes, directed by Robert Rodriguez of the Spy Kids film franchise. It stars Christian Slater, Boyd Holbrook, Sung Kang and Pedro Pascal.

The movie tells the story of alien invaders kidnapping Earth’s superheroes, leaving their children with the task of saving their parents and the world. Chopra is expected to play the role of one of the parents.

Chopra has also finished filming The White Tiger for Netflix, which is based on the Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name by Aravind Adiga.

Last month, it was announced that Chopra will star in Matrix 4, the latest instalment of the popular sci-fi film franchise. She will act alongside Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, who will reprise their roles as Neo and Trinity, as well as Jada Pinkett Smith, Neil Patrick Harris, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Jonathan Groff.

Filming started before the coronavirus lockdowns were imposed in San Francisco, and production resumed in Berlin, after the pandemic affected its schedule in March. No details have been shared about the film’s plot or Chopra's role, but it is slated for release in April 2022.

Chopra gained recognition in India at the age of 18, after she won the Femina Miss India beauty pageant in 2000. Since then, she has become one of Bollywood's biggest stars, with films such as 7 Khoon Maaf in 2011 and Mary Kom in 2014. She made her foray into American television in 2015 with the series Quantico, in which she played an FBI agent who is accused of terrorism.