Anjula Acharia: The woman behind Priyanka Chopra's Hollywood success
Anjula Acharia, a British-raised entrepreneur and investor, has been with Priyanka Chopra Jonas for almost 15 years. She first spotted Priyanka in a music video and helped her make the leap from Bollywood to global stardom.
Just last week (Feb 17, 2026), Acharia and Chopra Jonas took the stage together at Harvard Business School's India Conference, reflecting on India's growing influence and how they've navigated new paths in entertainment.
Acharia's pivotal role in Priyanka's career
After Priyanka's early pop singles didn't take off, Acharia encouraged her to pivot to TV—landing her a lead role in Quantico, which opened doors to major projects like Baywatch, The Matrix Resurrections, and Citadel.
This smart move helped redefine what was possible for South Asian talent in Hollywood.
Acharia's other ventures and investments
Acharia isn't just about star-making—she invests in startups like ClassPass and Bumble (both now unicorns), co-founded DesiHits! to blend global cultures, and recently launched 5 Junction Records with Warner Music Group to bring South Asian artists to North American audiences.