Priyanka Chopra recalls day Anurag Basu asked her to ‘hurl vile Hindi expletives at him’: ‘He couldn’t imagine me as Jhilmil’
Actor Priyanka Chopra recently talked about her 'most treasured film' Barfi and shared how she learned about the movie from Anjaana Anjaani co-star Ranbir Kapoor.
Actor Priyanka Chopra has become a global icon today. Known for delivering standout performances on the big screen, her role in Anurag Basu’s Barfi! is still considered one of her career best. Recently, Priyanka took to Instagram to share a long note about the film, detailing how she prepared for the role and recalling Anurag Basu’s initial hesitation to cast her.
Priyanka Chopra recalled how she learnt about the film while shooting for Anjaana Anjaani with Ranbir Kapoor. She wrote on Instagram, “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. 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 a workshop for 5 days.”
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“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. 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,” the note further read.
Priyanka Chopra 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, and playful. His storytelling is magic. We shot for 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?”
Commenting on Priyanka Chopra’s post, Bhumi Pednekar wrote, “So precious in this one.” Amruta Khanvilkar commented, “Man, no one could have brought her to life the way you did, sheer brilliance.” One of the fans added, “Hindi cinema misses you, PC. It’s time to come back.” Another fan commented, “There’s nobody like Priyanka. One in a million superstar. This one deserved a national award.”
On the work front, Priyanka Chopra is currently working with SS Rajamouli for his next film with Mahesh Babu. Other than this, Priyanka also has Citadel Season 2 and The Bluff in the pipeline.
