Anil Sharma reveals why he never worked with Priyanka Chopra again after Hero, clarifies his earlier remarks on her success: ‘If she sees me in a crowd…’
Priyanka Chopra made her Bollywood debut with Hero: Love Story of a Spy (2003), directed by Anil Sharma. The filmmaker, best known for the Gadar franchise, has previously spoken about how he played a key role in ensuring Priyanka stayed in the industry after her nose job went wrong. Sharma not only retained her in Hero but also convinced producers Sunil Darshan and Subhash Ghai to cast her in Andaaz and Aitraaz, respectively.
In a recent interview with Vickey Lalwani, Anil Sharma clarified his earlier remarks, emphasizing that while he didn’t have a direct role in Priyanka’s success, he did support her during a difficult time. “I don’t have any hand in her success. She is successful because she is very talented and when you are this good, God sometimes brings people in your life who give you a push. And I think I can be one of those people,” he said.
When asked if Priyanka is still in touch with him, Sharma revealed, “She has stayed in touch with me. If she sees me in a crowd of 100 people, she comes to meet me. We have a good relationship. I also shared a good bond with her late father.”
On why he never worked with Priyanka again after Hero, Sharma explained, “Priyanka became such a big star, so there should also be a role suiting her.”
Earlier, in a chat with Siddharth Kannan, Sharma recalled how Priyanka lost several projects due to the botched nose job and was ready to leave Mumbai. She had even returned the Rs 5 lakh signing amount for Hero and planned to move back to Bareilly, where her father was posted in the Army. However, Sharma convinced her to stay.
“She came with the cheque and said she had been fired. She was moving back to Bareilly. I scolded her and asked her to keep the money. That’s when she told me about what had happened with her nose,” he shared.
Sharma further revealed that Priyanka’s family was considering a temporary move back home to allow her time to heal. “Her father had already rejoined duty in the Army, and her mother planned to resume her medical practice. They were regular people, not like Ambanis, and rent in Mumbai was expensive. But I told them to stay,” he added.
Priyanka went on to establish herself as one of Bollywood’s top stars before making a successful transition to Hollywood.
