I’m not a liar, so I can’t turn around and say it doesn’t: Priyanka Chopra talks about questions on child marriage and rapes in India

Priyanka Chopra talks about questions on child marriage and rapes in India

Actor Priyanka Chopra, who is in the US for her American TV series, Quantico, says questions about child marriage and rapes in India make her feel like coming back and doing something.

The videos of actor Priyanka Chopra with underprivileged children from across the globe have touched the hearts of many.

Talking about her meetings, she says that the children have changed her “completely”. The actor adds, “Philanthropy was a very big part of my upbringing. My family always believed that no matter where you are, no matter how bad your conditions are, there will always be someone who is worse off than you. So, you have to sort of understand the privilege we come from, and from that privilege comes the social responsibility.”

Priyanka, a Unicef Goodwill Ambassador, has often urged people to speak up for children. “I think that from the time when I became Miss World, I became an adult... in a way when I won, even though I was 17, I grew up suddenly. I felt... I have a position that [I could] use to be able to actually make a tangible difference in the world, and not just talk about it, but do it,” she says. “And then, I started looking for ways to be able to do it. So, I associated with a lot of causes, I met a lot of people, and a lot of organisations that actually did what I wanted to do. My relationship with Unicef started about 11 years ago and it still continues,” says the 35-year-old actor.

Does she have to face questions such as: does child marriage still happen in India? “Yeah, of course,” she says. “I can’t give you names. A generic thought is [about] arranged marriage, child marriage, rapes... those are the questions,” says Priyanka.

“It makes me want to come back and do something about it. I’m not a liar, so I can’t turn around and say it doesn’t [happen]. But at the same time, I’m not going to be someone who says that’s all India stands for. Every country has its own issues. We have these issues; they [West] have their issues. The point is finding a solution, and that’s what I try to focus on.”