Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar has said that he is still in contact with actor Priyanka Chopra and doesn’t hold any grudges against her for quitting his film, Bharat. Speaking to Mumbai Mirror, Ali said he talks to Priyanka regularly.

Priyanka had quit the film just a few weeks before she was to shoot for the film. Ali tweeted about her exit from the film, wishing her good luck and also hinting that she had quit the film due to her upcoming wedding with Nick Jonas. He was the first one to partially confirm the wedding to the world.

“Priyanka was doing the film but things happened. As a friend, she shared it with me and I told that her life is most important. She’s still a close friend. We laugh and talk twice a month. I’m very happy for her,” he said. Priyanka was replaced by Ali’s friend and actor Katrina Kaif, who has worked with him before as well.

Yes Priyanka Chopra is no more part of @Bharat_TheFilm & 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 ... Team Bharat wishes @priyankachopra loads of love & happiness for life 😊😉😍

— ali abbas zafar (@aliabbaszafar) July 27, 2018

“I’m grateful to Katrina for stepping in. I was honest with her and told her I was sending her a script. If she liked it, we’d discuss it further. She’s my closest friend in Mumbai. But on the work front, we’re very transparent with each other. If she doesn’t like something I’m doing, she lets me know and vice versa,” he said.

In August last year, Ali has talked about getting Katrina on board. He revealed in an interview to The Times of India that Katrina told him something that eventually came true. “It’s bizarre, but let me share this. When we finished Tiger Zinda Hai, Katrina smiled and told me that I am going to miss her on my next film. At that time, I was quite clear that Priyanka is going to do Bharat. Katrina laughed and told me that she will find some way to be a part of the film. Now she is a part of Bharat, so maybe it was destiny,” he told the daily.

Bharat stars Salman Khan in the lead role. He plays a man who ages with the nation after its independence. Katrina plays Kumud Raina and introduced fans to her character through a picture on Tuesday. “Kumud Raina 1975 .... I had the most incredible time working on this character, the whole journey has been the most exciting for me yet, after working with Ali Abbas Zafar in three films. Can’t wait for everyone to see the film,” she captioned the picture.

The film also features Sunil Grover, Disha Patani, Nora Fatehi in pivotal roles. Jackie Shroff, will be essaying the role of Salman’s father in the film. It is slated to hit the theatres on Eid, June 5.

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First Published: Apr 25, 2019 15:10 IST