Delhi, April 17 (TNS): After much speculation around the female lead of Salman Khan’s period drama Bharat, it is Priyanka Chopra who has been zeroed in for the role. Director Ali Abbas Zafar has finally revealed that his next directorial will mark Priyanka’s return to the Indian film industry after a hiatus of two years. Priyanka was last seen in Prakash Jha’s directorial Jai Gangaajal where she essayed the role of an IPS officer.
Putting rumours mill to rest, Ali Abbas Zafar said, “Bharat is Priyanka’s homecoming to Bollywood after having proved herself as a performer in a global TV show, Quantico, and in Hollywood. Bharat is rooted in India and its culture, spans over seven decades and travels across the world. Priyanka is the biggest Indian artist globally today and a perfect fit for the film as she brings to the table her incredible talent and international appeal.” Divulging more about the Quantico actor’s role in Bharat, he added, “Bharat is a mature, subtle love story and her character is the soul of the film. She stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Salman in his journey and is the catalyst who triggers what will be a turning point in the plot.”
Priyanka and Salman have earlier worked together in films like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), Salaam-E-Ishq (2007) and God Tussi Great Ho (2008). Also, filmmaker Ali has directed Priyanka in action thriller Gunday which also had Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh in the lead roles. Collaborating with both Ali and Salman after such a long time has left Priyanka excited as she said, “Bharat it is! I’m looking forward to shooting this film and working with Salman and Ali again after a considerable time. I’ve learnt a lot from them in our previous collaborations and am excited to see what this one has to offer. I’m also looking forward to working with Alvira and Atul and the entire team of Bharat. To all my well-wishers who’ve been so patient and supportive, thank you for your constant support and I’ll see you all at the movies!”
Director Ali Abbas Zafar and producer Atul Agnihotri travelled to New York to give Priyanka the narration of the film. She loved the script and was convinced immediately to do the film. Atul who is collaborating with Priyanka for the first time said, “We are all very happy to welcome Priyanka to the Bharat family. We couldn’t have asked for anyone better than her to play this role.”
Bharat is an official adaptation of 2014 Korean film Ode to My Father, which depicted modern Korean history from the 1950s to the present day through the life of an ordinary man. Salman will be seen sporting five different looks in the movie as it chronicles his journey from the age of 8 to 65. The film will be shot in Spain, Abu Dhabi, Punjab and Delhi.
The period drama is scheduled for Eid 2019 release and before that, the fans of Bollywood’s Dabangg Khan will experience his charisma on the silver screen in Remo D’Souza’s thriller Race 3 also starring Jacqueline Fernandez, Anil Kapoor and Bobby Deol among others. TNS/Indian Express
