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Priyanka Chopra Revisits Early Rebuke as She Seeks a Dance Number in Rajamouli’s Varanasi

Her account links a harsh early lesson to a comeback shaped by dance.

Overview

  • Chopra, in interviews published Thursday, said she was a 'dreadful' dancer early on and recalled choreographer Raju Khan throwing down a mic and telling her to learn to dance.
  • After that shoot, she studied Kathak with Pandit Veeru Krishnan, a classical Indian dance form, and practiced for hours with Katrina Kaif to build control and timing.
  • Her work soon included standout songs such as Desi Girl and Ram Chaahe Leela, reflecting a shift from early struggles to confident screen performances.
  • Raju Khan later said she 'drove me nuts' but praised her progress and collaborated with her again on multiple films.
  • For her return to Indian cinema in SS Rajamouli’s Varanasi, she asked for a full dance number, and the pan-India film starring Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran is scheduled to release in April 2027.