Priyanka Chopra recently took to Instagram to share a touching post featuring childhood photos that highlight her transformation from a wide-eyed child to a confident teenager after winning the Miss World pageant at 18. Now 42, the actress reflected on her nearly 25-year journey in the entertainment industry, admitting she’s “still figuring it out.”

In her photo collage, Priyanka humorously warned, “Don’t troll my 9-year-old self,” and marveled at the changes that puberty and grooming can bring to a girl. She playfully described her pre-teen hairstyle as a “katori cut” (short pixie) and expressed gratitude to her mother, Madhu Chopra, for the practical solution during those formative years.

Priyanka continued, “On the right is me at 17, having just won Miss India in the year 2000 and basking in the glory of hair, make up and wardrobe.. Both pictures taken less than a decade apart.” Quoting Britney Spears, she added, “As Britney Spears very articulately put it.. I’m not a girl, not yet a woman. That was exactly how i felt then, entering the big world of entertainment”

The actress emphasised the importance of self-love and kindness, stating, “Almost 25 years later.. still figuring it out. Though , aren’t we all? Looking back at my younger self often makes me kinder to myself today. Think about your younger self and how much she has done for you. ”

Through her post, Priyanka discussed the importance of self-love. She wrote, “Love yourself, you’ve gone through a lot to be where you are today. 🥰 What did your younger self do for you”. Priyanka also encouraged her fans to share their own childhood photos using the hashtags #growupchallenge and #mondaymusings.

Her fans poured in their love for the journey Priyanka has had and wrote about how relatable this post was for them. One person wrote, “Every brown girl has a picture like this I swear! You are so brave for posting yours 🩷🩷🩷,” another person commented, “In this journey of founding yourself, you inspired millions ❤️❤️❤️,” yet another person wrote, “My younger self gained so much confidence having fought against bullying throughout my school life. It was all you and your inspiring words. My role model👏.”