Priyanka Chopra calls failure of female-led film a collective effort

Priyanka Chopra claimed that there has been a "collective failure on behalf of all women" when a film starring women doesn't succeed. Actor Bhumi Pednekar said as much as they were speaking at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023 in Mumbai, comparing it to taking women "a few steps back." Speaking about her movie 2008 Fashion, Priyanka recalled that early in her career, some had encouraged her not to undertake the female-led picture.

Priyanka said, "There's a lot of pressure when you have a female-led film, and because we have so few (of them being made). We are seeing success of female-led films more and more, but that's tough (to happen every time). When a female-led film doesn't do well I feel the collective failure on behalf of all women. I feel we have taken them a few steps back. This has to work because there are a few of us who get the opportunity to do this, and we have to do it well. Whether there's a filmmaker, actors, writers or any medium, hair or make-up, you just feel… I won't let womankind down because we have such few opportunities."

She also talked about Fashion, "I remember I met Madhur Bhandarkar sir and that time I was told, 'Ladkiyan female-oriented films apne career ke end mein karti hai for National Award' (Women work in female-oriented films towards the end of their career for a National Award). It was like, you have just started, you have done Krrish, Aitraaz you are having your moment... This was in the early 2000s. I liked the script (of Fashion). We were working for six months on the script. It was a passion project. We went to Goa, we worked on the character graph of (her character) Meghna Mathur, her emotional and physical journey. All I focused on was immersing myself in this girl."