Priyanka Chopra Jonas says botched surgery sent her into a deep depression

Priyanka Chopra Jonas opened up about going through a "deep depression" following a bungled polyp-removal surgery. In a recent interview on The Howard Stern Show, the Citadel actress revealed that her career was almost ruined after a routine procedure left her botched.

"This thing happens, and my face looks completely different, and I went into a deep, deep depression," she said of what was to be a routine removal of a polyp from her nasal cavity.

Unfortunately, as she detailed in her 2021 memoir, according to People, "While shaving off the polyp, the doctor also accidentally shaved the bridge of my nose and the bridge collapsed. When it was time to remove the bandages and the condition of my nose was revealed, Mom and I were horrified. My original nose was gone. My face looked completely different. I wasn't me anymore."

The surgery gone wrong began a "dark phase" for Chopra Jonas, who told Stern she was let go from three movies following the procedure. This awoke concerns that her acting career would be "over before it started."

Eventually, Chopra Jonas, who was admittedly hesitant toward going under the knife again, had corrective surgery at the advisement of her father, who was also a doctor.

"I was terrified of that," admitted Chopra Jonas, adding that her father's support ultimately got her through the ordeal. "He was like, 'I will be in the room with you.' He held my hands through it and helped me build back my confidence," she said.

During the interview, she also gave Bollywood film director Anil Sharma a special shout-out for helping her career at such a crucial time.

"I was supposed to play this lead, and I was shifted to a supporting character. That filmmaker was very kind," she told Stern. "He, while the tide was against me, said, 'It will be a small part but give it your all.' And I did.'"

In her memoir, Unfinished, the former Miss World recalled looking in the mirror only to see "a stranger looked back at me," and shared she was unsure if her self-esteem "would ever recover from the blow."

Eventually, Chopra Jonas came to terms with her appearance, saying she has learned to embrace herself, flaws and all.

"I've gotten accustomed to this face. Now when I look in the mirror, I am no longer surprised; I've made peace with this slightly different me," she wrote. "This is my face. This is my body. I might be flawed, but I am me."

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