Priyanka Chopra Jonas has sat down with talkshow host Oprah Winfrey for a candid 'Super Soul' interview. Reuters, EPA
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has sat down with talkshow host Oprah Winfrey for a candid 'Super Soul' interview. Reuters, EPA
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has sat down with talkshow host Oprah Winfrey for a candid 'Super Soul' interview. Reuters, EPA
Priyanka Chopra Jonas has sat down with talkshow host Oprah Winfrey for a candid 'Super Soul' interview. Reuters, EPA

Priyanka Chopra Jonas talks spirituality, loss and her marriage to Nick Jonas in candid Oprah Winfrey interview


Janice Rodrigues
  • English
  • Arabic

After her bombshell interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Oprah Winfrey is making waves once more – this time with a no-holds-barred talk with Priyanka Chopra Jonas.

The interview is filmed in a garden-like setting, reminiscent of the one used for the interview with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and delves her relationship with her husband Nick Jonas, as well as faith and spirituality.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas wore a powder-blue suit in her interview with Oprah Winfrey. Courtesy Discovery+
Priyanka Chopra Jonas wore a powder-blue suit in her interview with Oprah Winfrey. Courtesy Discovery+

Here’s a look at some of the biggest takeaways from the interview:

Priyanka Chopra Jonas didn’t take Nick Jonas seriously at first

One of the most candid parts of the interview touched upon the actress and singer's early relationship. When Winfrey quizzed Chopra Jonas about why she wrote that she thought her mother had "dreamed him up" in her memoir Unfinished, she candidly admits that she did not take her future husband seriously when they first met.

"I may have judged the book by the cover. I honestly didn't take it very seriously when Nick was texting. I was 35. I wanted to get married have kids and he's in his twenties, I don't know if that's something he wanted to do. I did that to myself for a while, until I actually went out with him," she says.

The actress adds: "Nothing surprised me more than him. He’s such a self-assured man, so sensible, so excited about my achievements, my dreams.

“Such a true partnership that he offers me in everything we do together that I truly believe my mum manifested him because that was her marriage."

She said that her marriage to Jonas has a similar foundation to the one her parents had. "They worked together, lived together, built a home together, a life together, in equal partnership and I saw that growing up.

“I’m amazed that I found exactly what I grew up with, with Nick. I let it happen,” she says.

She wants to have children – in time

In a clip, Winfrey asks the actress, "Do you and Nick hope to have a family one day?”

To which Chopra Jonas replies, "I am a very live-in-the-today, maximum live-in-the-next-two-months kind of person. But in 10 years, I definitely want to have kids. That is, it’s going to happen in the next 10 years."

She adds: "Well, hopefully earlier than that. I’m very fond of children and I want to be able to do that."

She feels more secure in her thirties

When Winfrey asked Chopra Jonas what led her to release her memoir Unfinished this year, she admitted that Covid-19 had a role to play, with her having more time to "delve deeper" as she was no longer living out of hotel rooms.

The actress, singer, producer and entrepreneur also says that she is a more “secure place”. “I have a little bit more confidence in myself and what I bring to the table professionally, personally, and that helped me address my life,” she explains.

“And I’ve always wanted to write a book and thought the easiest way would be to write about my life, it wasn’t.”

On spirituality and growing up in India

Winfrey said that reading Unfinished made her reflect on her own trips to India, asking her if she had a spiritual foundation growing up.

To which, Chopra Jonas replies "Yeah I did. In India, it's hard not to. With the swirling number of religions that we have that live in the country ... I grew up in a Convent school so I was aware of Christianity. My dad used to sing in a mosque, I was aware of Islam. I grew up in a Hindu family, I was aware of that. Spirituality is such a large part of India you can't ignore it."

Chopra Jonas speaks about losing her father

However, Chopra Jonas also admitted that her beliefs were tested when her father, Ashok Chopra, died in 2013.

“I flew my dad to Singapore, New York, Europe, India, everywhere just to do whatever I could to prolong his life ... It’s such a helpless feeling.”

“I was very angry, my relationship with God changed a bit … but then, at the same time, I feel like God helped me find salvation and come out of it too.”

The full interview premiered in India and the US on Discovery+ on Saturday. A UAE premiere date has not yet been confirmed.

ASSASSIN'S%20CREED%20MIRAGE
%3Cp%3E%0DDeveloper%3A%20Ubisoft%20Bordeaux%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Ubisoft%0D%3Cbr%3EConsoles%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20PC%20and%20Xbox%20Series%20S%26amp%3BX%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 435hp at 5,900rpm

Torque: 520Nm at 1,800-5,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Price: from Dh498,542

On sale: now

Superliminal%20
%3Cp%3EDeveloper%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EPublisher%3A%20Pillow%20Castle%20Games%0D%3Cbr%3EConsole%3A%20PlayStation%204%26amp%3B5%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20One%20%26amp%3B%20X%2FS%2C%20Nintendo%20Switch%2C%20PC%20and%20Mac%0D%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

The biog

Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help

Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:

2289 - Dh10

2252 - Dh50

6025 - Dh20

6027 - Dh100

6026 - Dh200

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

MIDWAY

Produced: Lionsgate Films, Shanghai Ryui Entertainment, Street Light Entertainment
Directed: Roland Emmerich
Cast: Ed Skrein, Woody Harrelson, Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, Luke Evans, Nick Jonas, Mandy Moore, Darren Criss
Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Getting there

The flights

Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.

The stay

Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.

Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo

Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm

Transmission: eight-speed auto

Price: from Dh122,745

On sale: now

THE BIO

Age: 33

Favourite quote: “If you’re going through hell, keep going” Winston Churchill

Favourite breed of dog: All of them. I can’t possibly pick a favourite.

Favourite place in the UAE: The Stray Dogs Centre in Umm Al Quwain. It sounds predictable, but it honestly is my favourite place to spend time. Surrounded by hundreds of dogs that love you - what could possibly be better than that?

Favourite colour: All the colours that dogs come in

EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

Graduated from the American University of Sharjah

She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters

Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks

Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding

 

Tips from the expert

Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.

  1. Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
  2. It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
  3. Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
  4. Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

RESULTS

Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.

Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.

Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.

Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.

Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.

Catchweight 80kg​​​​​​​
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.

Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.

Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.

Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.

Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.

Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.

Tell Me Who I Am

Director: Ed Perkins

Stars: Alex and Marcus Lewis

Four stars

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Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face

The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.

The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran. 

Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf. 

"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said. 

Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer. 

The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy. 

 

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Feeding the thousands for iftar

Six industrial scale vats of 500litres each are used to cook the kanji or broth 

Each vat contains kanji or porridge to feed 1,000 people

The rice porridge is poured into a 500ml plastic box

350 plastic tubs are placed in one container trolley

Each aluminium container trolley weighing 300kg is unloaded by a small crane fitted on a truck

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid

When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989

Director: Goran Hugo Olsson

Rating: 5/5

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six

Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm

Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto

Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km

Price: From Dh796,600

On sale: now

Married Malala

Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.

The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.

Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.