Girl-next-door Priyanka Chopra became a known face in the glamour industry when she finished second in the Femina Miss India contest winning the Miss India World title in 2000.

Priyanka Chopra added another feather to her cap after being crowned Miss World in the same year. In picture: 18-year-old Priyanka Chopra (R) being crowned by Miss World 1999 Yukta Mookhey (L) after winning the Miss World 2000 final at the Millenium Dome in London, on November 30, 2000.

Two years later, she stepped into the acting industry with Tamil film 'Thamizhan'. Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta starrer film 'The Hero' in 2002 marked Priyanka's entry in Bollywood.

In picture: Priyanka Chopra poses for photographers during the swimwear section of the Miss World contest at Full Moon Island in Maldives on November 13, 2000.

Three years later, she decided to explore her singing proficiency and lent her voice as a playback singer in the film 'Barsaat' in 2005. Though her first-ever recording remains in the Tamil film 'Thamizhan'.

This is a lesser-known fact that Priyanka Chopra turned down the lead role in 'Umrao Jaan' (2006) to work in 'Bluffmaster' (2005).

In 2006, Priyanka Chopra's name was listed first in 'Asia's Sexiest Women' by a UK magazine.

Priyanka Chopra won a National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in Fashion (2008) wherein she portrayed the ambitious supermodel Meghna Mathur. The film was a drama about the Indian fashion industry which followed the lives and careers of several fashion models. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Bobby Deol and Suniel Shetty.

This was followed by a series of notable films like Dostana, Kaminey, What's Your Rashee, Anjaana Anjaani, 7 Khoon Maaf, Don 2 and more which helped her carve a niche and strengthen her foothold in the industry. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Amitabh Bachchan.

Priyanka Chopra did not hold back from performing stunts on her own. She underwent martial arts training for films like Don and Don 2. In fact, in Drona, that starred Abhishek Bachchan and Kay Kay Menon, PC was lauded for her action avatar, though the film bombed at the Box Office.

In 2010, Priyanka Chopra hosted the third season of the reality show Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi. According to contestants, in hosting the series, Priyanka had 'transformed into quite a whip-wielding dictator', relentlessly pushing the contestants to work. She performed most of her own stunts, adamant to prove that she could rival Akshay Kumar, who had hosted the previous two seasons. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Madhur Bhandarkar.

In 2012, Priyanka Chopra surprised everyone with the role of Jhilmil in Anurag Basu's Barfi!. The Anurag Basu-directed film, starring Ranbir Kapoor as a deaf and mute boy and Priyanka as an autistic girl, was initially in the running to qualify for the best foreign-language film category at the 85th Academy Awards but failed to make it to the shortlisted nine films. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Akshay Kumar.

In the same year, she also released her first single 'In My City', which, although a commercial success in India, was met with mixed reactions from the critics. Her second single 'Exotic' featuring Pitbull got mixed reactions too. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor.

Following this, Priyanka Chopra turned item girl with a special appearance in Shootout at Wadala in a song called Babli Badmaash Hai. Reportedly, PC was strict about the lyrics and footage. She has frowned against the use of vulgar words or skin show in the past and rejected the songs of various composers before deciding upon an appropriate number. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor.

Priyanka Chopra finds it wonderful how women have an innate ability to fulfil different roles. 'Women have the ability to take care, get married, have children and work at the same time. They make sure that the house is taken care of, but at the same time, they go out and meet their dreams. All they need is someone to stand with them and say, 'Yes, you can', and that will come when families, husbands, fathers and mothers start teaching their children that it is going to be all right. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Ranbir Kapoor.

Girls need to be valued, stressed Priyanka Chopra who made it big in Bollywood without a godfather.

"Of course, women should settle down, men should settle down, have babies, but that shouldn't be the end of a girl's life. It should be the beginning. You should marry in a home that allows you to have wings and the parents need to make sure of that," said Priyanka, who is now married to American singer-actor Nick Jonas. In picture: Miss World 2000, Priyanka Chopra (C) poses with her grandmother after her arrival in her hometown Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh state on December 20, 2000.

She is a woman who follows her heart and is an inspiration for other women. Priyanka Chopra, who is effortlessly straddling two worlds and is also a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, says women have always been considered second-class citizens globally and she would like to see a change in the mindset of those who devalue a girl child.

Priyanka Chopra was very close to her father Ashok Chopra, who died in June 2013. She got a tattoo reading 'Daddy's lil girl' inked on her wrist in his handwriting.

The year 2016 saw Priyanka becoming a presenter at the Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards ceremony, followed by an invitation to the annual White House Correspondents Dinner. She was conferred India's fourth-highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri, and featured in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of the world. In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Hrithik Roshan.

Talking about her successful journey, Priyanka Chopra told mid-day once, 'I am grateful at how much affection has come my way. Being an actor is difficult, I have been handling the public light since I was 17. I was thrown into it when most people were figuring out whether they are an adult or a child. I have faced brickbats, seen the highs, but I am finally in a space where I am getting some incredible work.' In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Kareena Kapoor Khan.

Well, success has not gone to her head. Priyanka Chopra said, 'I don't fear failure but I don't like it. I get grumpy when I fail, but I am not afraid to face it with the same sentiments of a debutante. I see the lives of celebrities as marathon runners. There is a lot riding on us in terms of responsibility. If an actor falls sick and the shoot is cancelled, 300 people don't get paid that day. I treat it like a marathon. I have learnt to respect everyone's job. I treat myself as an athlete and acquire that discipline. I work holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries. I have trained myself accordingly. There's a set goal, which I want to achieve and to get that, I know what it takes. There are no free lunches in this world.' In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Rajesh Khanna.

Talking about having no godfather when she entered Bollywood, Priyanka Chopra said, 'There is nothing wrong in being born into a family that has a legacy. Outsiders don't have foot-in-the-door access. Star kids have insurmountable pressure of living up to the family name. Every star has their individual journey. In mine, I have faced a lot. I have been kicked out of films because someone else was recommended to the producer. I cried and got over it. Eventually, those who are meant to be success stories become that, despite all hindrances.' In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Govinda.

Talking about her past choices in films, Priyanka Chopra said, 'I think I was a terrible actress when I started off as compared to what I'm today. I still have a lot to learn, but I believe that I've grown as an actress and I evolve constantly. I always had the hunger to learn and become better at what I do - just like a sponge, trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible.' In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Bipasha Basu.

In 2015, Priyanka Chopra, championing the cause of supporting new talent, founded her production company. Marking her first step towards attaining the goal, she launched her production house, Purple Pebble Pictures. In 2016, under her production banner, she produced the critically acclaimed Marathi comedy-drama Ventilator, which won several accolades including three National Film Awards. In 2019, the company's fourth Marathi film, Paani won the National Film Award for Best Film on Environment Conservation/Preservation.

In picture: Priyanka Chopra with Sunil Darshan, Bobby Deol and Bipasha Basu.

In an interesting move, Purple Pebble Picture's website includes a talent platform where aspiring artistes - across the fields of acting, scriptwriting and direction, among others - can fill an application form and stand a chance to bag a project. In Picture: Priyanka Chopra with Karan Johar and Arjun Rampal.

In 2015, Priyanka Chopra made her debut on American TV with 'Quantico' where she played the role of an FBI trainee, Alex Parrish. From 2015 to 2018, PC entertained the audience with Quantico.

In 2017, Priyanka Chopra made her Hollywood debut with Baywatch co-starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. Though the movie was panned by the critics, Priyanka's performance as the antagonist Victoria Leeds was appreciated.

After Baywatch, she starred in A Kid Like Jake (2018) and Isn't It Romantic (2019). In 2019 she made a comeback of sorts in Bollywood with the film The Sky is Pink, as Jai Gangaajal was her last Bollywood outing, which released in 2016.

Priyanka Chopra's journey has been truly inspiring. Here's wishing the global icon, a very happy birthday!