Bigg Boss 17: Priyanka Chopra roots for cousin Mannara Chopra ahead of grand finale

Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra took to social media on Wednesday to show support for her cousin Mannara Chopra, who has secured a spot as one of the finalists in the Salman Khan-hosted reality show Bigg Boss 17.

On her Instagram Story, Priyanka shared a picture of Mannara inside the Bigg Boss house along with a motivating message. “Give it your best and forget about the rest. Carpe diem @memannara. #BIGBOSS,” she wrote.

Priyanka’s mother Madhu Chopra also conveyed her heartfelt congratulations to Mannara through a video message. “Hi Mannara. Congratulations. You have reached one of the finales. I am very proud of you. Stay strong. Keep a strong head on your shoulders and don't let them break you. You are one Chopra girl, and you are really strong. Best of luck,” she said in the message.

Known by her real name Barbie Handa, Mannara is Priyanka's paternal cousin. The family connection runs through Mannara's mother’s side, as her mother's brother was Priyanka's late father, Colonel (Dr) Ashok Chopra (retd).

Mannara has already made her mark in the entertainment industry with notable roles in various films, including Puri Jagannadh's Telugu film Rouge (2017), Anubhav Sinha's Zid (2014), Subbu RV's Prema Geema Jantha Nai (2014) and Vamsi Krishna Akella's Jakkanna (2016).

As the anticipation builds for the Bigg Boss 17 finale scheduled for January 28, Mannara faces tough competition from other finalists — TV actress Ankita Lokhande, standup comedian Munawar Faruqui, YouTuber Arun Mahshetty and TV actor Abhishek Kumar.