Suneel Darshan on Kareena Kapoor losing Aitraaz role to Priyanka Chopra: 'Bebo made a big mistake'

Suneel Darshan revealed Kareena Kapoor was first offered Aitraaz but declined, paving the way for Priyanka Chopra’s breakthrough. He praised Priyanka’s bold choice and fearless performance.

Akshay Kumar with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas on the sets of Aitraaz

Summary:

• Suneel Darshan revealed Kareena Kapoor Khan was initially offered the role of Sonia in Aitraaz.

• Kareena declined, considering it too negative, and Priyanka Chopra took on the part instead.

• Darshan praised Priyanka’s fearless performance, calling it a game-changer in her career.

According to veteran filmmaker and producer Suneel Darshan, the role of Sonia in the 2004 thriller Aitraaz was offered to Kareena Kapoor Khan but eventually became a breakthrough moment for Priyanka Chopra Jonas. This new revelation brings attention back to one of the most talked-about off-screen dynamics in Bollywood.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas' bold role

Priyanka's fearless performance as Sonia, a complex character with varying degrees of innocence and guilt, was the most memorable part of the Abbas-Mustan courtroom drama, which also featured Akshay Kumar as the male lead. Darshan revealed to Bollywood Bubble how Kareena blew the chance to play the lead part.

The filmmaker stated, "There are times when actors miscalculate. At that time, a negative role was still viewed as something like a vamp. And the fact that Priyanka was cast alongside Amrish Puri as his wife, so it felt more like a Shashikala-type role. You know, like the ones Shashikala or Bindu used to play in older films. But with time, narratives change, and so do perspectives. And I thought to myself, My God, Bebo made such a big mistake."

ALSO READ: 20 years of Aitraaz: Revisiting Priyanka Chopra's iconic femme fatale role

Suneel Darshan explains why Kareena Kapoor Khan declined the role

Additionally, he mentioned that Kareena turned down the opportunity to play Priyanka's role in favour of a more traditional heroine role. Darshan said, "But Bebo is Bebo. She always wanted to glide through everything easily. She lost out on that role because she chose not to do it. She picked the heroine’s part opposite the hero. She could have taken Priyanka’s role too, but she didn’t."

At a period when many female actors were hesitant to take complex or difficult roles, Darshan lauded Priyanka for her fearlessness. He went on to say, "Priyanka was at a stage where she was on the rise. She was the go-getter. Whatever she wanted, she went after and got it. And that role justified something that wasn’t considered normal; it made you believe in it."

Casting decision may have fuelled off-screen tension

The long-rumoured animosity between Kareena and Priyanka, which surfaced in public places (including multiple episodes of Koffee with Karan), may have been influenced by the casting decision. Over the years, their vicious remarks kept the rumour mills running, with Kareena famously casting doubt on Priyanka's National Award victory for Fashion being one notable example.

The two actors, though, put their differences aside and moved on. Kareena and Priyanka were together on Season 6 of Koffee with Karan in 2019, and they seemed to have put their differences in the past.

FAQs:

Q: Who was originally offered Priyanka Chopra’s role in Aitraaz?

A: Kareena Kapoor Khan was originally offered the role of Sonia in Aitraaz which was eventually played by Priyanka Chopra.

Q: Why did Kareena Kapoor reject the role in Aitraaz?

A: According to producer Suneel Darshan, Kareena chose not to do the role as she preferred the heroine’s part and was hesitant about playing a negative character at the time.

Q: Did Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra have a rivalry?

A: The two actors were known for their off-screen tensions in the early 2000s, which played out in public interviews and on shows like Koffee with Karan.

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