Bharat producer Atul Agnihotri says Priyanka Chopra hasn’t texted him since quitting Salman Khan film

Bharat producer Atul Agnihotri says he learnt about Priyanka Chopra’s exit from the film last year on the film’s sets. He added that she hasn’t texted him at all since.

Film producer Atul Agnihotri has said actor Priyanka Chopra hasn’t contacted him since quitting his film, Bharat. According to a report in Pinkvilla, the producer said that he learnt that she has left the film from someone else while he was on the sets.

Priyanka Chopra wasn’t Atul Agnihotri’s first choice for Bharat.

Priyanka quit Bharat, starring Salman Khan in the lead role, last year and director Ali Abbas Zafar announced her exit through a tweet. “Yes Priyanka Chopra is no more part of Bharat and the reason is very very special , she told us in the Nick of time about her decision and we are very happy for her,” he had written in a tweet, hinting that she left the film to focus on her wedding with American singer Nick Jonas.

“Priyanka still hasn’t texted me. She never spoke to me about walking out of Bharat. It was a message I received on the set. I was like, ‘It’s okay, yeh ho gaya. But let’s now fix it’. The news came to me via people.” he said. “I understand she was getting married and was in love. So, it’s okay because that’s the bigger decision of her life. Of course, it’s great to discover and find love and it’s even better to marry the person you love. I wish her all the best for her life. That one day, I could have felt a little different, but at the end of it, when you see things from the hindsight, it’s fine,” he added.

Priyanka was replaced by Katrina Kaif on the film, who Atul says was his first choice for the role. “Personally, my choice for the film was always Katrina, even when we were discussing whom to cast. The director’s take was different - Ali wanted Priyanka,” he said. “So for me, when Katrina came back in the project, it wasn’t a setback in my head. I felt it was meant to happen. I’m consciously trying to cater to Bhai’s fan base and there’s a certain responsibility on me because it’s an Eid release. I feel with Salman bhai, nobody looks better than Katrina. There couldn’t have been a better time than making a film like Bharat. It’s meant to be for them. Everything felt like a setback for a few minutes, but we were never facing a big roadblock,” he added. Bharat will be Salman and Katrina’s sixth film together after Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya, Partner, Yuvraaj, Ek Tha Tiger and Tiger Zinda Hai.

Talking about making last minute changes to the shoot schedules after Priyanka’s exit, Atul said, “It doesn’t hurt. But it upsets your planning. It’s a Salman Khan film so the timing of the information left us a little unsettled for a bit. But we are fortunate to have friends and supporters who know that our only intention is to make a great film. Whoever saw that and came on-board, their contribution is priceless. It can’t be reciprocated in words.”

Recently, Salman rued about the same in a live Facebook chat with Katrina and Ali. Ali, who hosted the chat, asked Katrina about her prep for the role. “I had two months to prepare once we cracked the physicality and hair, everything fell in place,” she said. However, Salman interrupted her and added, “Priyanka didn’t give us much time.”

Salman mentioned Priyanka again during the chat session. “Yes, Katrina Kaif worked really hard to prepare for the role. If only Priyanka Chopra gave us more time.” Ali then quickly jumped in saying, “Next Question.”

Bharat is an official adaptation of the 2014 South Korean film Ode To My Father. The film also stars Sunil Grover, Nora Fatehi and Disha Patani. Jackie Shroff is essaying the role of Salman’s father. It releases on June 5.

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