Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra are two of Bollywood’s most globally recognised stars, admired not only for their talent but also for the way they have built their careers with discipline and vision. The duo, who shared screen space in Don and Don 2, continue to enjoy massive international respect. Recently, producer Shailendra Singh drew comparisons between the two icons and strongly criticised Bollywood for how it treated Priyanka Chopra before her move to Hollywood.
Speaking in a conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Shailendra Singh said that stars like Priyanka Chopra should have been the true representatives of the Hindi film industry on a global stage. He questioned why Bollywood lacks a defined voice and why certain individuals are allowed to dominate that space. “People like Priyanka Chopra should be the brand ambassadors of our industry,” he said. “I’ve asked this question many times — who is the voice of Bollywood? Anyone just stands up and starts owning it.”
Taking a pointed dig at the industry, Shailendra added that while filmmaker Karan Johar has often been perceived as Bollywood’s spokesperson, he questioned whether that representation was fair. According to him, Priyanka Chopra had all the qualities needed to represent Indian cinema internationally, but was failed by the industry. “Priyanka should have been the voice of Bollywood, but we treated her so badly that she left the country,” he stated.
Calling Priyanka a rare combination of talent and intelligence, Shailendra described her as “three people in one — the brand, the person, and the actor.” He added that she was a “firecracker” who could have carried Bollywood’s reputation across the world. Drawing parallels with sports, he also mentioned Virat Kohli, noting how global achievers no longer feel rooted in India once their professional commitments are fulfilled.
Shailendra then compared Priyanka Chopra with Shah Rukh Khan, praising both for their clarity and professionalism. “If you look at Shah Rukh Khan, he understands stardom completely. He knows who he is and what cinema means to him,” he said, adding that Shah Rukh is a silent operator who never puts others down.
Summing up his thoughts, Shailendra said that Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra are remarkably similar in mindset, business approach, and work ethic. “They are supremely talented, focused, and no-nonsense. These are the people who should be ambassadors of our industry.”
On the work front, Shah Rukh Khan will next be seen in King, while Priyanka Chopra is set to appear in Varanasi.
