How Priyanka Chopra bagged Rakesh Roshan's Krrish?

Rakesh Roshan’s Krrish 4 will not go on floors until next year. While it was always clear that actor Hrithik Roshan will continue to don the mask and cape in the film, actress Priyanka Chopra has been roped in for the project too.

Chopra had also starred in the first two Krrish movies and is expected to reprise her character in the next part.

The confirmation, however, came not in a press note, or at a press conference or even on social media. Instead the director spoke about Chopra being a part of Krrish 4 in journalist-turned-author Bharathi S Pradhan’s book on the actress, titled Priyanka Chopra: The Dark Horse.

“When I called her for the sequel to Krrish 2, she was very excited and said, ‘It’s even better than the first Krrish.’ I’ve really enjoyed working with her and I’m sure she’ll be there in Krrish 4,” Rakesh was quoted as saying in the book.

The length of her role in the film is still a secret. “But I can’t say what the length of her role will be the third time [after Krrish 1 and 2] around,” he added.

The book also has an interesting anecdote on how Chopra was cast in the first Krrish film. Rakesh was looking for a relativley new actress since he didn’t want any issue with the dates. Chopra was working with filmmaker Subhash Ghai on Aitraaz (2004) at the time and he is said to have recommended her name for Krrish.

“One major thing that happened during Aitraaz was that Rakesh Roshan who was making Krrish, called me home and gave me a nice meal too. He was tossing names around and wondering who to cast in the film when I suggested Priyanka,” Ghai recalled in the book.

Rakesh, too, spoke of how he signed Chopra for the film. "She [Chopra] was working in Aitraaz at that time. I asked him if I could see one or two reels and he said, ‘Sure’. They were either mixing the film or doing the background score, I don’t remember. Hrithik and I both went to Empire [Audio Centre Pvt. Ltd.]. Abbas-Mustan were also there. I didn’t know that she was playing a vamp in it but I saw the fire in her and said, ‘Yes, she is a very fine actress'."

The father-son duo liked Chopra's work and signed her immediately. “After two days, Priyanka sent me a big bouquet of flowers with a note that read, ‘Thank you very much, it worked and I’ve signed Krrish.’ She got established as a heroine from there,” Ghai added.