A devoted fan of John Abraham, Madhu Chopra recounted that Priyanka Chopra had gone the extra mile by arranging for her Dostana co-star to arrive at midnight on her birthday.

(Credit: Instagram/@drmadhuakhourichopra, Facebook/@TheRealJohnAbraham)

Global star Priyanka Chopra has never shied away from expressing love for her dear ones, whether it's her late father Ashok Chopra or her little daughter Malti Marie. Recently, her mother Madhu Chopra took a trip down memory lane and recalled an incident that highlighted Priyanka's deep affection for her. She shared how the actor went to great lengths to celebrate her mother's first birthday after Ashok Chopra's passing, determined to bring a smile back on her face. Madhu further stated that some of their relatives, however, were quick to judge them for hosting a party just six days after his death.

"He passed away on June 10 and my birthday is on June 16. I was turning 60 and they had planned a big party for me. The whole family was already there due to his illness. After his passing, we were grieving, but Priyanka insisted that we go ahead with the party and asked everyone to stay. She said, 'That's what dad would have wanted,'" Madhu shared during a chat with Lehren Retro.

A devoted fan of John Abraham, Madhu further recounted that Priyanka had gone the extra mile by arranging for her Dostana co-star to arrive at midnight, wrapped like a birthday gift. "They had requested John to come at midnight, wrapped like a birthday present. Imagine that! Priyanka said, 'Mom has to have her moment.' It was such a fun party with a DJ and music. But the rest of the family sat there gloomily, saying, 'Look at her! She's dancing! Does she not grieve for her husband?' Meanwhile, I was thinking, 'My daughter arranged all this; my kids put in so much effort. They're all suffering and grieving, but this is how she is honouring her dad.' Priyanka even said, 'I am honouring his wish and you better fall in line with it.' That's the person she is."

Priyanka herself has also spoken about how her father's death in 2013 shaped her understanding of grief. "After my dad passed away, I came to a slow but steady conclusion that that kind of pain would never go away. It's your companion. So, if you are thinking of or waiting for the day when it starts hurting less, when it doesn't affect you anymore or when you get over it… You are never getting over it; it becomes a companion. There will be days when it comes out in a biggish way and want to stay over for dinner or maybe a week, and there will be days when you don't even remember about it until you see a photo and you're like (sigh)," she said in the Read the Room podcast once. "Any form of grief will have a duration in which it will become your companion and you have to let it," she added.

Ashok Chopra died after long battle with cancer in 2013, leaving a lasting imprint on Priyanka. As a tribute, she has a tattoo on her right hand that reads "Daddy's lil girl", inked in his handwriting.