Priyanka Chopra overjoyed for Bollywood return, recounts how Jee Le Zaraa took shape

The film is scheduled to release in 2023. (Photo credit: Twitter/Priyanka Chopra)

Actor Priyanka Chopra, who has now turned into an international star with her foray into Hollywood, is overjoyed with the prospect of her Bollywood return with Jee Le Zaraa. The film, to be directed by Farhan Akhtar, was announced on Tuesday. Since then, social media has been abuzz with the coup that the makers managed to pull off.

Jee Le Zaara, being termed as the first-of-its-kind buddy film with an all-women lead cast, will see Priyanka star alongside Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif.

The film was announced on the 20th anniversary of Excel Entertainment and Dil Chahta Hai. Jee Le Zaara, a road-trip film, will also mark Akhtar’s return to the director’s chair after a 10-year hiatus. His last directorial venture, Don 2 in 2011, had also starred Priyanka. Akhtar also co-owns the Excel Entertainment banner.

Following the film’s announcement, Priyanka posted a picture with the two other leading ladies. In a long post on her Instagram profile, the Quantico star revealed that the idea for Jee Le Zaraa was conceived before Covid-19 brought the world to a shutdown. Calling it an aligning of the stars, Priyanka said it was absolute luck that the film will come to fruition with Akhtar, his sister Zoya, and Reema Kagti helming the project. She also saluted sisterhood, friendship, and breaking the mould in her post.

Zoya is co-producing the film with Reema Kagti under their Tiger Baby Films banner. She left a reply on Priyanka’s post that she loved it when the actor mused on rainy days and urged her to never stop.

Katrina shared the same picture on her Instagram profile and said it made her heart smile. She added that she loved her co-stars and it was always fun to be around each other. Alia posted that three girls came together with a dream two years ago. She then tagged Akhtar, Zoya, Kagti, and Excel Entertainment co-owner Ritesh Sidhwani — calling them the four best storytellers in the business — saying that they only had one place to go to realise that dream. She then added that 50 Zoom calls and countless laughs later Je Le Zaara was finally going to happen.

Akhtar had earlier written that he was thrilled to announce his next film as director, and there was no better day for it than 20 years of Dil Chahta Hai. He announced the cast and said filming would begin in 2022. The film is scheduled to release in 2023.