Priyanka Chopra's Two Fronts: Hunkkaar and Varanasi

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is in the news for two very different projects. As an executive producer she is behind the JioHotstar series Hunkkaar: The Roar, which premiered on Sept. 25. As an actor she is filming Varanasi, an SS Rajamouli film with Mahesh Babu. Here is what is on record about each, with the gaps marked.

Hunkkaar: The Roar

Bollywood Hungama reported on Oct. 14 that Chopra Jonas spoke about backing the series through her company, Purple Pebble Pictures. The series is produced by Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment in association with Purple Pebble, and is a Mangata Films production. It is directed by Karan D. Kapadia, Nitya Mehra and Heeraz Marfatia.

The series follows Meenu Rawat, a 17-year-old girl who accuses a powerful spiritual leader of sexual assault. As the case draws national attention, it examines the influence of power and the challenges of seeking justice. Because the subject is sensitive, we are describing it only as the publication does.

Chopra Jonas said in a statement, "I'm always drawn to stories that have depth and meaning, and Hunkkaar: The Roar is one such story. It takes on a deeply sensitive subject and tells the story with honesty and conviction." She added that she has immense respect for Nitya, Karan, Applause and the team.

The company's slate

Bollywood Hungama lists the credits of Purple Pebble Pictures: the Marathi film Paani, which received the National Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation and Preservation, as well as Ventilator, Firebrand and The White Tiger. Chopra Jonas has also been an executive producer on the Oscar-nominated documentary To Kill a Tiger and the Oscar-nominated short film Anuja, the report says. It describes the company's stated aim as supporting new talent and distinctive stories.

Varanasi

Variety India reported on Oct. 12 that Rajamouli addressed a report about shooting Varanasi in Antarctica. In a conversation with The Empire Film Podcast, he said the team had considered filming a small part of the movie there but cancelled the plan and found an easier option. He did not say where the alternative was filmed.

According to the same report, the film moves through Antarctica, Africa and Rome before culminating in Varanasi. Mahesh Babu and Priyanka Chopra spent considerable time filming in Kenya, and the team recently finished a schedule in Georgia. Prithviraj Sukumaran plays the villain, Kumbha. The Times of India reported that Chopra wished him on his birthday, calling him "Kumbha."

Why the dual role matters

These two stories show both sides of Chopra Jonas's work: a producer backing a socially driven series and an actor in a large-scale adventure film. That summary is our framing. The reports themselves cover only the facts above.

What we could not confirm

We could not confirm a release date for Varanasi, because none of the sources we read gives one. We could not confirm Chopra Jonas's role or character in the film beyond her presence in the cast and location shoots. We did not watch Hunkkaar and cannot review it, so we are not commenting on its quality. The Times of India birthday item was only available to us as a headline. Rajamouli's comments are second-hand through Variety India, and we did not hear the podcast.

Sources

*Cover photo: Fuzheado, Wikimedia Commons, *[*https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Priyanka-chopra-gesf-2018-7565.jpg*](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Priyanka-chopra-gesf-2018-7565.jpg)* (CC BY-SA 4.0).*