Tinka Tinka Turns 20: From seductress to warrior, Priyanka Chopra¡¯s journey as Bollywood's Desi Girl!

22 years ago, Priyanka Chopra surprised audiences with her bold and confident performance in Aitraaz (2004). She played Sonia Roy, a woman who stops at nothing to get what she wants. Unlike typical Bollywood characters of that decade, her role was unapologetically ambitious and manipulative. Priyanka¡¯s performance stood out because she made the audience both admire and dislike Sonia at the same time.

A year later, in 2005, she played John Abraham¡¯s wife in Karam, a film that may not have been a box office hit but gave Bollywood one of its most iconic songs, Tinka Tinka. Even though the film received mixed reviews, Tinka Tinka, sung by Alisha Chinai and composed by Vishal-Shekhar, became a timeless track.

After Karam, Priyanka¡¯s career took off with six films that cemented her status as a superstar:

1. Don

Priyanka played Roma, an undercover agent seeking revenge against Don for her brother¡¯s murder. In Don, Roma starts as an angry young woman, determined to bring Don down. She trains and then goes undercover in his gang, showing her strength and intelligence.

In Don 2 (2011), Roma returns, but she is no longer just a woman seeking revenge. She has now become a top officer in the police force, stronger and more confident. Unlike the first film, where she was driven by emotion, in the sequel, she is more calculated, strategic, and in control. She even comes close to capturing Don multiple times, proving that she is his biggest rival. Priyanka¡¯s transition from a determined but inexperienced fighter to a fearless officer showed her growth as an action heroine.

2. Fashion

In Fashion, Priyanka played Meghna Mathur, a small-town girl who becomes a supermodel but loses herself in the process. The film showed the dark side of the fashion industry¡ªpower struggles, drug abuse, and identity crises. Meghna¡¯s transformation from an innocent newcomer to a broken superstar and then her journey to redemption made this one of Priyanka¡¯s most celebrated performances. She won the National Film Award for Best actress for this film.

3. What¡¯s Your Raashee?

Priyanka Chopra took on the unique challenge of playing twelve different characters, each representing a zodiac sign. The film followed a man meeting twelve potential brides, all portrayed by her. Each character had a distinct trait¡ªsome were bold and confident, others were traditional, dreamy, or rebellious. Priyanka ensured that every role felt different by changing her body language, voice, and expressions. While the film did not perform well at the box office, her performance was widely appreciated for the effort and range she displayed.

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4. Barfi

In this movie Priyanka played Jhilmil, a woman with autism who forms a deep bond with Barfi, a deaf and mute man played by Ranbir Kapoor. This was one of Priyanka¡¯s most challenging roles, as she had to portray emotions without relying on typical expressions or dialogues. Jhilmil¡¯s innocence, childlike wonder, and vulnerability made her character deeply touching. Priyanka made Jhilmil feel authentic and lovable, showing that love does not always need words.

5. 7 Khoon Maaf

Priyanka played Susanna, a woman who married seven times in search of true love, but each marriage ended in her husband¡¯s death. At the start, Susanna was a hopeful woman who genuinely believed in love, but as betrayals and disappointments piled up, she became darker and more ruthless. With every marriage, her innocence faded, and she turned into a woman willing to take extreme measures. Priyanka¡¯s performance captured the transformation of Susanna from a romantic dreamer to a woman hardened by life¡¯s brutal realities.

6. Mary Kom

In this movie, Priyanka portrayed the legendary Indian boxer Mary Kom¡¯s journey from a small-town girl in Manipur to a world-class boxer. Who faced opposition from her family, struggled against societal norms, and fought hard to prove herself. Even after becoming a mother, she returned to boxing and won championships. Priyanka trained extensively for the role, building her physique to resemble a professional boxer and learning real boxing techniques.