During this era, Priyanka was rumored to be involved with actor Akshay Kumar, who was already married to Twinkle Khanna. Tabloids ran wild with speculation about an "affair" that allegedly disrupted the set of films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Aitraaz . For years, Priyanka stayed silent, but the rumors painted a picture of a young woman caught in a web of unavailable love. The manipulative, "other woman" narrative of Aitraaz stuck to her public persona for years, whether it was fair or not. In her 2021 memoir, Unfinished , she alluded to a relationship with a much older, married co-star as a "huge mistake" driven by loneliness. She had lived the cautionary tale she was acting out on screen.

Priyanka's personal dating life has transitioned from a period of private "tumultuous" relationships to a globally celebrated marriage.