Global star Priyanka Chopra is gearing up to return to the Indian cinema after years. However, the actress is getting nostalgic about her 2012 film, Barfi, which also stars Ranbir Kapoor and Ileana D'Cruz in the lead.
The film will soon complete 13 years, and Priyanka penned a tribute to the film and the director, Anurag Basu. The actress took to her Instagram and shared a video featuring several scenes of Barfi and penned a lengthy tribute and behind-the-scenes story.
She wrote in the caption, “In Jan 2009, while filming ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ in New York with Ranbir Kapoor, he mentioned his next, Barfi! With Anurag Basu, a filmmaker I admired. So when Sir offered me Jhilmil, I was thrilled.”
The actress revealed that she couldn’t imagine herself as Jhilmil, and she didn’t want to mess it up. She added, “We met at my Mumbai home, I’d just returned from an event, dressed to the nines. He took one look and said he couldn’t imagine me as Jhilmil. I understood, I didn’t want to mess it up either. We agreed to workshop for 5 days.”
Priyanka elaborated, “We immersed ourselves in research, reading, watching videos, meeting children on the autism spectrum, and doing exercises in his Aram Nagar office. One day, he asked me to hurl vile Hindi expletives at him. Mortified, I still tried, it was hilarious, liberating, and pulled me out of my comfort zone. After more “Basu-style” drills, Jhilmil was born.
The actress recalled that it was one of the last times that her father visited the set of her film and penned, “Most Barfi–Jhilmil scenes were improvised. Sir shared an idea, and we ran with it. This was also one of the last times my Dad visited me on set.”
She added, “Barfi! remains one of my most treasured films - for the creativity, the crew, and the joy of shared challenges. Ravi Varman’s cinematography was pure poetry. Gorgeous Ileana D’Cruz brought such grace to Shruti, Ranbir shone like the star he is, and Anurag Sir, brilliant, gentle, playful. His storytelling is magic.”
Priyanka concluded the caption while noting, “We shot over two years with breaks, unsure if audiences would embrace it. They did beyond our dreams. The love for Jhilmil has stayed with me ever since. On this nostalgic Saturday, I felt like sharing. What are you reminiscing about these days?”
Priyanka Chopra is currently shooting her highly anticipated, tentatively titled SSMB29, directed by SS Rajamouli.
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