NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Global actor and producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas has returned to music with a new “desi” rendition of the holiday classic Last Christmas for British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha’s upcoming movie Christmas Karma. The song marks Chopra Jonas’s first singing project in nearly a decade.
The Hindi-English fusion version of Last Christmas, originally popularized by Wham! in 1984, will appear on the film’s soundtrack, which features a mix of international artists. Christmas Karma is scheduled to release in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the United States on November 14, and in India on December 12.
In a statement shared with the media, Chopra Jonas said she was delighted to collaborate with Chadha, calling her “one of the very few stalwarts in entertainment who has championed stories of the Indian diaspora globally.” The actor added that contributing to the project was “a small way of supporting a dear friend’s vision.”
Chadha, best known for Bend It Like Beckham and Bride and Prejudice, described the musical collaboration as a celebration of cultural diversity. “Priyanka’s version adds warmth and Indian flair to a song that connects generations,” she said.
Online reaction to the track has been mixed. While some listeners praised Chopra Jonas for blending Indian instrumentation with a beloved Western classic, others were less enthusiastic about altering the original arrangement.
Chopra Jonas launched her music career in 2012 with the single In My City, featuring will.i.am, followed by Exotic with Pitbull. She has since focused primarily on acting and producing, with major credits including Quantico, The White Tiger, and Citadel.
The new release reintroduces her as a multi-hyphenate performer—actor, producer, and now once again, singer—at a time when cross-cultural collaborations continue to reshape global entertainment.
