Madhu opens up about leaving hospital for Priyanka's career

Priyanka Chopra’s rise from the small town of Bareilly to global stardom involved significant sacrifices by her entire family. Her mother, Madhu Chopra, recently revealed how challenging it was for them to leave their hometown and start anew in Mumbai to support Priyanka’s career ambitions.Gradual Relocation and Financial IndependenceIn a discussion with Debina Bonnerjee on her YouTube show, Madhu talked about the difficult decision her family made to move to Mumbai for Priyanka’s career. They relocated gradually—first, Priyanka and her father moved while Madhu stayed behind to work and support Priyanka’s expenses. Later, after her husband secured a job at Lilavati Hospital, Madhu joined them.

She emphasized the importance of maintaining dignity by being financially independent during this transition.Leaving Behind a Hospital and a Comfortable LifeShe further spoke about the difficult decision she and her late husband Ashok Chopra, also a doctor, faced when they chose to leave the hospital they had built from the ground up to support Priyanka's career in the Hindi film industry. They had spent 11 years establishing themselves as top doctors in the city, starting from scratch.

Letting go of their patients, friends, and home was a significant sacrifice. Madhu described Mumbai as a vast ocean, warning that without the ability to navigate it, one could easily struggle to survive.Perspectives on ParentingMadhu described three types of parents: those who stay at home and support their children from a distance, those who recognize the tough challenges ahead but stand by their children, and a third group who give up everything and become dependent on their child.

She expressed that she does not agree with the third type.Prioritizing Priyanka’s Career Above AllChopra revealed that the family’s bold decision to relocate was driven by the fact that “Priyanka’s career came before everything else.” She also mentioned that during their initial days in Mumbai, they had to send their younger son, Siddharth Chopra, to stay with relatives in the USA, as they were still settling into the new environment.Sacrifices and Siddharth’s IndependenceShe explained that Siddharth was sent away because she had to dedicate most of her time to Priyanka and was unable to give him the attention he needed. Her brother-in-law had insisted that she could not leave Priyanka alone even for a minute in Mumbai, which meant Madhu had to leave her medical practice to be with her daughter. Although Siddharth was initially somewhat neglected, he grew up to be independent, managing his college education and life on his own without relying on the family.