In a heartfelt conversation, Dr. Madhu Chopra recalled Priyanka Chopra's extraordinary strength in helping the family process the grief of her father's demise.
Priyanka Chopra, Bollywood’s beloved Desi Girl, is a global name today. Besides being an internationally acclaimed actress, she is a producer and entrepreneur who has always been admired for her strength in the face of challenges. A stirring testimony of the diva’s resilience was recently made by her mother, Dr. Madhu Chopra, who recalled how, at the family’s darkest hour after her father’s death, Priyanka became the anchor who helped the family pick up the pieces and process the grief.
In a heartfelt conversation with actress Debina Bonnerjee, Dr. Madhu Chopra shared how, despite being aware of Dr. Ashok Chopra's illness, his passing still hit the family hard. That time, Priyanka took on the unexpected role of a mentor and emotional anchor for the grieving family. Madhu shared:
"We knew he was ill, but when the loss actually happened, all three of us were living on our own… About six months after it happened, Priyanka said, ‘This isn’t working. We have to share, we have to be together.’ So she took us on a quiet holiday to Turks and Caicos — just the three of us. We weren’t doing anything extravagant, just moving around silently, almost as a defence mechanism, out of care for each other.”
It was Priyanka who sensed the emotional distance creeping into the family and decided to change that with a healing trip to Turks and Caicos, and this helped a great deal. That short trip helped Madhu, Priyanka, and her brother, Siddharth, reconnect deeply, process their grief, and return home with a renewed sense of togetherness. Reflecting on the importance of emotional support systems in times of grief, Madhu shared:
“We spent a week there, bonded deeply, and spoke about what we needed to say. And when we came back, we felt refreshed, ready to get back to work with a new perspective. The pain doesn’t fade, it doesn’t go away. It stays. But you learn how to live with it. It becomes easier when you unite as a family, talk about the person, and process it together.”
In an interview with Lehren Retro, Madhu Chopra fondly recalled how Priyanka surprised her just six days after Dr. Ashok Chopra’s passing. Despite the family’s grief, Priyanka insisted on celebrating Madhu’s 60th birthday, saying it’s what her father would have wanted.
To lift her mother’s spirits, Priyanka arranged the ultimate gift: Madhu’s favourite actor, John Abraham, who arrived at midnight, that too, wrapped like a birthday present. Remembering that fond memory, Madhu shared:
“He (Dr. Ashok Chopra) passed away on June 10, and my birthday is on June 16. I was turning 60 and they had planned a big party for me... After his passing… Priyanka insisted that we go ahead with the party… They had requested John to come at midnight, wrapped like a birthday present. Imagine that! Priyanka said, 'Mom has to have her moment.'”
Priyanka Chopra shared a deep bond with her father, Dr. Ashok Chopra, which she proudly honours with her 'Daddy's Little Girl' tattoo on her arm. She got the tattoo as a lasting tribute after his passing on June 10, 2013, following a long battle with cancer.
Priyanka Chopra showed extraordinary strength to guide her family through emotional recovery while silently handling her pain. What are your thoughts on this?
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