'My Father Was First Entertainer I Knew'

'He showed me how much joy there is in being the person in the middle of a party.'
'He taught me how to be confident and vulnerable at the same time.'

Priyanka Chopra was bestowed with an honourary award at the Red Sea Film Festival 2024 in Jeddah.

The award was presented to Chopra by Sex And The City star Sarah Jessica Parker, who described it as a 'true honour' to recognise Chopra's achievements.

Nick Jonas joined her on the red carpet.

In her acceptance speech, PeeCee expressed deep gratitude for the recognition.

She went on to highlight the importance of the Red Sea Film Festival in fostering a space for film-makers across cultures and languages.

Reflecting on her career, she shared how, early in her journey, she was told that non-English films wouldn't be able to 'travel' internationally.

'I come from an industry that spoke Hindi and Telugu, basically non-English films. Yet, we are here today,' she remarked, commending the festival for creating a platform that transcends borders, language, and nationality.

The actress expressed her gratitude to her fellow artists and collaborators, as well as to her family.

Addressing Nick Jonas, she lovingly said, 'My wonderful husband is here, waiting to escort me down, the gentleman that he is.'

She also took a moment to honour her late father, who passed away in 2013.

'My father was the first entertainer I ever knew,' Chopra said.

'He showed me how much joy there is in being the person in the middle of a party. He was that person. He taught me how to be confident and vulnerable at the same time,' she added.

Priyanka also acknowledged the global film-making community.

'We get to play for a living, we get to tell stories for a living, and we get to dream for a living," she said, adding, "And you have been able to bring people together outside of borders, languages to just celebrate this incredible medium of cinema.'