Suneel Darshan Reveals Why He Chose Priyanka Chopra Over Akshay Kumar in ‘Barsaat’
Filmmaker Suneel Darshan revealed in an interview that Akshay Kumar was replaced by Bobby Deol in the 2005 film 'Barsaat' to avoid personal and family complications arising from media rumors surrounding Kumar and co-star Priyanka Chopra.
Filmmaker Suneel Darshan has opened up about the casting decisions surrounding his 2005 romantic drama Barsaat, clarifying why Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra did not ultimately star together in the project. Despite shooting initial portions of the film with the lead pair, Darshan ultimately parted ways with Kumar to prevent personal complications from interfering with the movie's production, subsequently recasting the lead role with Bobby Deol. ‘Samuk’: Akshay Kumar’s Alien Action Thriller With Vipul Shah Goes on Floors.
Suneel Darshan on Dropping Akshay Kumar from ‘Barsaat’
In an interview with the YouTube channel Minutes of Masala, Darshan recalled that the film's production was already underway when external issues forced a sudden shift. The director explained that after completing an initial shooting schedule, including the title track, production took a scheduled break. When it came time to resume filming, media speculation surrounding the lead actors created tension behind the scenes.
"By the time we had to resume the shoot, we found that there were some problems that were being blown up and we realised that both Akshay and Priyanka can't do the film together," Darshan said.
Personal Life Repercussions and Professional Choices
Addressing the fallout directly, Darshan highlighted how personal circumstances played a heavy role in the decision to recast. "If they were to work together now, it could have led to repercussions within his family. I feel that when you are a professional, then there is a responsibility. You can't be irresponsible. But what could we do about it?" Darshan shared.
When forced to choose between changing his lead actor or replacing the female lead, Darshan ultimately decided to retain Chopra in the film. "I felt that a married man should be more responsible. Priyanka wasn't married. So I thought that if I had to make a choice, Priyanka should remain in the film," Darshan added.
Watch Suneel Darshan's Full Interview:
Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra's Collaborations
Prior to the developments surrounding Barsaat, Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra had formed a commercially successful screen pairing. The duo shared screen space in hit projects such as Andaaz (2003), Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004), and Aitraaz (2004). Following Kumar's exit from Barsaat, the role of Arav was reassigned to Bobby Deol. The film went on to release in August 2005, co-starring Bipasha Basu alongside Chopra and Deol. Dolly Parton Dies: Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor Pay Heartfelt Tributes to Legendary Singer.
Barsaat marked the final planned collaboration between Kumar and Chopra, as the two actors never appeared together on screen again following the project's recasting.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 26, 2026 02:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
