When Parineeti Chopra said 'Priyanka Chopra is not my role model'

Parineeti Chopra went from being a banker to an actor and was introduced to the country as Priyanka Chopra's cousin. But a few years after her film debut a decade ago, she said that she doesn't think of her illustrious cousin as a 'role model.'

Parineeti debuted with a supporting role in Ladies vs Ricky Bahl and followed it up with films such as Ishaqzaade, Shuddh Desi Romance, and Hasee Toh Phasee. She has three releases this month, beginning with The Girl in the Train, Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar, and the upcoming Saina.

In a Vogue India profile from February 2014, Parineeti was asked if Priyanka has been her 'role model' or her 'mentor' in the industry, and the actor turned 'grim', 'the million-dollar smile reined in'.

She said, "She's not my role model. In fact, nobody is my role model. In this profession, you cannot aim at having a career like someone else's. I could be inspired by different people for different things, but that's about it. Where it's helped me is that when I am in doubt I can call her, and she always has the right answers."

All her life, Parineeti said, she had wanted to be a banker and had even spent ₹50 lakh on her education in London. When she was unable to find a job, she made the decision to fly to Mumbai. She noted, "The only reason I chose this city was that the ticket was cheaper than the one to Delhi, although I didn't know anyone in Mumbai."

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In a 2012 interview with Hindustan Times, Parineeti said that Priyanka is always available for advice, but she rejected the idea that she is her competitor in the industry. "How can I even think of being in competition with her? Besides being a protective sister, she has been in the industry for a decade now. Our equation has only gotten better after my acting debut. Now I call her every half an hour to ask a new question," she had said.