Priyanka Chopra recalls the time baby Malti spent 100 days in NICU: ‘Used to play Gayatri mantra…’

Actor and global star Priyanka Chopra recently reflected on one of the most distressing chapters of her personal life — the time surrounding the premature arrival of her daughter, Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. The child was born through surrogacy in January 2022, and what should have been a celebratory moment quickly turned into a prolonged medical crisis. Speaking during a conversation on the podcast hosted by Jay Shetty, Priyanka recounted the emotional upheaval she and her husband, singer Nick Jonas, endured during their daughter’s extended stay in the neonatal intensive care unit.

She explained that even before Malti’s birth, the road to parenthood had been fraught with obstacles, making the experience even more fragile and emotionally charged. The pregnancy journey had already tested her resilience, and the baby’s early delivery intensified those anxieties. Priyanka described her daughter as nothing short of a blessing, expressing that at that point in her life, the child represented her deepest hope of becoming a mother.

The circumstances surrounding the birth were particularly tense, unfolding during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The environment in the hospital was filled with uncertainty and strain. Malti was born extremely small and delicate, her body fragile and discolored at first sight. Medical staff worked swiftly to stabilize her, performing procedures that left a lasting imprint on Priyanka’s memory. She recalled how impossibly tiny her daughter appeared — so small that even the nurses’ fingers seemed oversized in comparison. Watching doctors insert breathing tubes into her newborn was an image that stayed etched in her mind. While the surrogate mother remained safe and healthy, allowing the couple to focus entirely on their baby, Priyanka admitted she felt emotionally paralyzed, unsure of how to respond or contribute during those critical moments.


The first few days inside the NICU were especially harrowing. Hospital protocols permitted only one parent to be present at a time, which added to their distress. When Malti cried for the first time, the sound was faint and fragile, a brief but powerful reminder of her vulnerability. Though Priyanka’s mother and Nick’s parents rushed to be by their side, most of their time was consumed within hospital walls. The entire ordeal felt deeply personal and emotionally scarring.

Following medical guidance, the couple practiced skin-to-skin contact to strengthen their bond with their daughter. Nick would gently sing to her while strumming his guitar, hoping his voice would comfort her. Meanwhile, Priyanka softly played sacred chants, including the Mahamrityunjay Mantra, the Gayatri Mantra, and Om Namah Shivaya, allowing the soothing sounds to fill the space around Malti’s incubator.

After more than 100 days under intensive medical supervision, Malti was finally strong enough to return home, marking the end of an extraordinarily challenging yet transformative chapter for the family.