There’s been a lot of drama surrounding Salman Khan’s next Bharat, especially regarding Priyanka Chopra exiting the film. Priyanka quit the film days before filming started, apparently due to her wedding with Nick Jonas being announced. Reports around the time claimed that Salman was upset with her last minute backing out.

Speaking to a leading daily, Salman was at first accepting of Priyanka’s decision. But the Race 3 actor is also adamant that Priyanka could’ve fit the film in if she wanted.

“I told her, ‘if you are getting engaged, what’s the need (of exiting the project)?’ Then she said, ‘Shaadi karni hai’ to which I said ‘Toh shaadi kar lo’. Priyanka’s work was for 75-80 days. Shaadi ke liye chaar din ka preparation, aur chaar din ki shaadi, aath din ke andar ho gayi aur phir uske baad honeymoon. So, we said we will work it out. But she was very clear that she didn’t want to be a part of the film.”

Salman went on to say that the decision must’ve been difficult for Priyanka since she was very keen to do ‘Bharat’.

“It must have been very difficult for her to make this decision because she was very keen to work on this project. She has called up Arpita a thousand times, saying, ‘I want to work with Salman’. She has even called up director Ali Abbas Zafar and told him, ‘See if you can get me something in this film’.”

Bharat is directed by Ali Abbaz Zafar and stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif (replacing Priyanka Chopra), Disha Patani and Tabu. It will be released on Eid 2019.