Priyanka Chopra made her debut with the Tamil film Thamizhan (2002) opposite Tamil superstar Vijay, the newly elected Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. While Vijay has been in the headlines for his blockbuster political debut, Priyanka Chopra’s praise for him has resurfaced online. In a recent interview, Priyanka said she tasted her first brush with fame while working with Vijay on the film.

On Sunday, Vijay took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after his party TVK emerged as the single majority party winning 108 seats this Assembly Election. 

In a 2026 interview on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast, Priyanka was asked about her debut film.

‘Vijay Is Extremely Popular’

“It was a movie called Thamizhan in the Tamil language in India. I learned phonetically because it was impossible to learn a new language. But I memorized my lines. My first exposure to fame came from my first co-actor. His name is Vijay, who’s extremely popular. There used to be hundreds and hundreds of people standing there to watch him while he was dancing or doing his thing. It was my first movie, and I had no idea what happens behind the scenes—we just saw what we saw in movie theaters. I remember thinking it must feel like being a demi-god,” Priyanka said on the podcast.

‘Priyanka Couldn’t Match Steps With Vijay’

In an earlier interview with Filmygyan, Priyanka’s mother, Madhu Chopra, shared details of the debutant’s perseverance and resilience in making a lasting impression.

Madhu Chopra divulged that Priyanka didn’t initially match steps with Vijay. But Priyanka didn’t give up and practiced until it was perfect. Sharing the shooting experience, Madhu Chopra said, “When she was shooting for the film, she began to like it. Despite not knowing the language, she enjoyed it. The team helped her and treated her with a lot of respect. Vijay starred in the film; he is a perfect gentleman. Raju Sundaram was the choreographer. In dance, Priyanka was okay, but she couldn’t initially match steps with Vijay.”

She added, “She would practice with the choreographer from morning to evening. Then she started enjoying it. This also helped her build her character and realize that she wanted to pursue this as a career.”

Directed by debutant Majith and produced by G. Venkateswaran, Thamizhan became a commercial success.

The story revolves around a lawyer named Surya who curbs corruption cases, fights a criminal boss, and finally makes the basics of Indian law available as a free book to common people.

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Two men from Andhra Pradesh, including an actor, died in a fatal road accident on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) near Adibatla on Sunday.

The victims were identified as K Bharat Kanth (31), a Telugu actor, and G Sai Trilok (31).

Both were from Nellore district in Andhra Pradesh.

According to police, the two were travelling in a car on the Outer Ring Road when the driver, Bharat Kanth, lost control and crashed into a container lorry moving ahead.

Due to the severity of the accident, the rear wheels of the container lorry came off. The car was badly damaged.

Both Bharat Kanth and Sai Trilok died on the spot.

Police reached the spot soon after the accident and shifted the bodies for postmortem.

Police have registered a case and launched an investigation.

Bharath Kanth, 31, was known among Telugu digital audiences for his work as a dancer, content creator and actor. 

He had built a growing following on social media, with nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram and around 30,000 subscribers on YouTube. 

Apart from creating digital content, Bharath Kanth had also acted in Telugu films and short films including Tenant and Gramam. 

Meanwhile, Bharath Kanth’s last post on Instagram has gone viral after news of his accident surfaced.

The post featured Kanth at a mall in Bangkok, Thailand. It read: “Naan itha solliye aaganum. Nee avvalavu azhagu! (I have to say this. You are such a beautiful)”

Actors Ayushmann Khurrana and Rakul Preet Singh, along with the team of Pati Patni Aur Woh Do, recently visited Gir National Park for a jungle safari ahead of their film’s release. However, the visit soon drew attention online after a video of Rakul circulated widely on social media.

The clip showed the actress walking near a safari vehicle, prompting speculation among internet users about whether wildlife regulations had been violated, as visitors are typically prohibited from stepping out of their vehicles inside protected forest zones.

Following the online debate, officials from Gir National Park issued a clarification, stating that the incident did not occur within the restricted sanctuary area.

આ પ્રસારિત થઈ રહેલો વીડિયો અભ્યારણ્ય વિસ્તારમાં પ્રવેશદ્વારની બહારનો છે અને પ્રતિબંધિત વિસ્તારમાંનો નથી.@nkk_123 @choga_don pic.twitter.com/jTPZDb3Xc9

— DCFSasan-Gir (@dcfsasangir) May 10, 2026

In an official statement, park authorities said, “We have already issued a clarification regarding this video through our official Twitter handle. We clarified that the video is from outside the entry point of the Sasan Sanctuary. Every sanctuary has a designated entry point for visitors entering the protected area. The viral video was shot outside that point. Therefore, we clarified that the incident did not take place inside the restricted zone.”

They further explained the standard protocol followed inside the sanctuary and why no rules were breached in this case.

“As per the rules, once inside the sanctuary, no one is allowed to step out of their safari vehicle. In the viral visuals, she is seen outside the entry point area, after which she left and returned. Rakul Preet Singh had come with her team for a planned sanctuary visit. However, before entering the sanctuary, she experienced a medical issue. Due to this, her team took her back, and she did not enter the sanctuary premises.”

Reiterating that the actress never entered the protected zone, the officials concluded, “Our restricted zone begins only after the sanctuary entry point. No rules were violated. We have already clarified this through our official Twitter handle.”

About Pati Patni Aur Woh Do

A sequel to the 2019 film Pati Patni Aur Woh, which starred Kartik Aaryan, Bhumi Pednekar and Ananya Panday, the upcoming film continues the legacy of a story that originally dates back to 1978.

Pati Patni Aur Woh Do is set to release in cinemas on May 15, and stars Ayushmann Khurrana, Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh and Wamiqa Gabbi in the lead roles. The film positions itself as a breezy, family-friendly comedy that aims to balance nostalgia with a contemporary twist.

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