#THROWBACKTHURSDAYS: When SLB replaced Priyanka Chopra with Deepika

Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela, that 2013 romantic blockbuster, and a rustic and bracing adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, soared at the box-office and the leading pair, Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone, ignited the screen with their fiery chemistry. For all those who didn’t know, Kareena Kapoor Khan was the first choice for the role of Leela and she even signed on the dotted lines and shot for the film for a few days, alas, she walked out of the project after her schedule couldn’t match with the dates of the film’s shoot.

But here’s the catch, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, the man who helmed Raam Leela, then wanted to sign Priyanka Chopra as the leading lady and the Desi Girl even gave her nod to star in the film. But to reasons best known to him, he replaced her with Deepika Padukone. SLB’s former CEO, Sandeep Singh, said, “It was her desire to work with Bhansali and I believe that to this day, no film has fully tapped her talent. Anyway, shooting started with Deepika. PeeCee was understandably no longer on talking terms with us.”

Never to keep grudges, Priyanka had no problems against the filmmaker and happily agreed to do a special song in the film, which became quite poular. That’s not all, she went on to act in SLB’s production, Mary Kom and also starred in his magnum opus, Bajirao Mastani, where she stole the show right from below the nose of Deepika Padukone.

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