On Thursday, actress Priyanka Chopra stepped in as the co-host for ABC Network's daytime talk show The View, where a panel of women discuss the hot topics of the day, ranging from politics to pop culture. Obviously, a lot of current new items were discussed and Chopra weighed in on them. She was articulate, fun and looked amazing as she always does. But one of the warmest moments on the show was to see Chopra interact with Dev Patel, who visited The View to discuss his Oscar-nominated film Lion, with Saroo Brierley (on whom the film is based) and his adopted mother for company.
Priyanka spoke to both Brierley and Patel about the film. While she spoke to Brierley about the moment in the film that made him cry, Priyanka asked Dev about his Indian roots. "You grew up in London, your parents are both immigrants who moved to the UK from Kenya, but you are also Indian. I wanted to understand what is your connection with India... and shooting in India where you are originally from.... how was that for you?"
"I spent a lot of my childhood trying to shun my Indian heritage to fit into school, and basically going anything to be like everyone else and not get bullied," said Dev, to which Chopra responded with a nod. "Yeah, I can see that!" said Priyanka, who herself moved to US for four years to do her high school at the age of 12, where she had to face bullying for being brown-skinned.
"Then I had this light-bulb moment when I went to Bombay at 17 years old to shoot Slumdog Millionaire (2009), and I discover this city with Danny Boyle, and every preconceived notion I had was completely turned on its head. I fell in love. I was so inspired. I have since then shot five films and I go there [to India] every year," said Patel.
"Mumbai and all over India... it's such an inspiration. What we do as actors is we explore how it is like to be a human, and it is a place that is bursting full of humanity," Patel added. "I am so glad you said that," Chopra replied.
It was heart-warming to see Chopra and Patel hold hands at the end of the question. And it was also a lovely moment to see the two actors, who in their own way are making a mark in Hollywood, bond over India on a daytime American talk show.
Watch the full episode of The View below.