‘F**k it, I’m going to restart my career’: Prahlad Kakkar on Priyanka Chopra’s dignified silence amid alleged affair rumours; expert on what it teaches us about setting boundaries

His comments underline the larger question of how individuals choose to navigate dignity, privacy, and public speculation in matters of the heart. Even when everyone else is talking, silence can be a powerful way of setting boundaries.

Kakkar also spoke about the grit that defined her career journey, but eventually, when she felt cornered, Priyanka herself explained why she took a bold leap in Dax Shepard’s podcast. “I was being pushed into a corner in the industry (Bollywood). I had people not casting me, I had beef with people, I am not good at playing that game, so I kind of was tired of the politics and I said I needed a break,” she said.  

As Kakkar noted, “When the industry decided that she was too old for young heroines, she was the first Indian heroine to move abroad and make it there. Who takes that kind of risk? You’re getting bit roles, you’re getting parts, you’re not top of the line anymore, and you decide, ‘F**k it, I’m going to restart my career’.”

In everyday relationships, when gossip or outside judgement intrudes, how can someone maintain dignity and boundaries?

Psychologist Rasshi Gurnani tells indianexpress.com, “When gossip or outside judgement intrudes on a personal relationship, the healthiest response is to hold firm boundaries without engaging in defensive explanations. From a psychological perspective, this involves practicing emotional detachment—acknowledging the noise but not internalising it.” 

She adds that people can rely on self-validation instead of external validation, reminding themselves that their worth isn’t determined by public opinion. Using assertive communication helps too—saying little but with clarity, which reinforces dignity while reducing the fuel that gossip thrives on.

Many people feel cornered in their careers or relationships. How do you know when it’s time to stop trying to ‘make it work’?

Gurnani mentions that deeling cornered in careers or relationships “often signals a buildup of chronic stress and emotional exhaustion.” The turning point comes when continued effort leads to diminishing returns, a state psychologists describe as burnout. Recognising this is less about quitting and more about acknowledging misalignment between values, needs, and the environment. Taking a bold step then becomes an act of agency—reclaiming control over one’s narrative. 

“Risk in such decisions is inevitable, but the process of change often restores a sense of authenticity and psychological well-being, which outweighs the temporary uncertainty,” concludes Gurnani. 

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