EXCLUSIVE: Suneel Darshan Breaks Silence On Akshay Kumar Quitting Barsaat Due To Priyanka Chopra; Shades, “Shaadishuda Aadmiyon Ko Toh…”

Suneel Darshan and Akshay Kumar have worked together for 7 years on different films, which were all hot. He introduced Priyanka Chopra as the female lead in the film Andaaz. While promoting his upcoming film Andaaz 2, the director got candid in an exclusive interview with Bollywood Bubble, opened up on Akshay opting out of Barsaat. He emphasises how actors should be responsible.

Suneel Darshan On Akshay Kumar Opting Out Of Barsaat Due To Priyanka Chopra

When asked if Akshay Kumar was supposed to do Barsaat and he was later replaced by Bobby Deol, Suneel Darshan said, “Ab toh gaana YouTube pe hai. Maine Akshay aur Priyanka ka shoot…woh film shoot hui thi, I know. Haan, woh shoot hui thi film. Aur ek point aisa aaya ki uski personal life mein kaafi turbulence aa gayi thi.”

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He added, “Toh usne mujhe poocha ki, ‘Bhai, agar yeh mere bina ho sake, personal issues ki wajah se…’ Toh main toh yeh maanta hoon ki actors ko bohot responsible hona chahiye, aur shaadishuda aadmiyon ko toh aur bhi zyada responsible hona chahiye. Lekin kya hota hai, galti karna insaan ki fitrat hoti hai — aur producer ko maar khana uski taqdeer mein hota hai.”

Suneel Darshan On NOT Replacing Priyanka In Barsaat

When asked why he did not replace Priyanka in Barsaat and instead let Akshay leave, Darshan answered, “Yeh mera faisla tha, kyunki main chahta tha ki Priyanka Chopra ko us haadse ki responsibility ka onus na doon. Aur main sochta tha, bhai, jiska mere se gehra sambandh tha — jitna bhi tha — woh toh Akshay hi kehta tha ki “main tujhe apna kya samajhta hoon”… Woh toh us waqt shayad kisi tape mein mil bhi jaaye. Baaki, maine socha ki yeh hi better hai ki Priyanka ko continue karein, aur jisne mujhe option diya hai, usse replace karein.”

About Priyanka-Akshay’s Controversy

Priyanka Chopra and Akshay Kumar are both prominent figures in Bollywood. They have delivered multiple hit films together and were once considered one of the most popular on-screen pairs. However, alleged rumours of a romantic relationship between them reportedly caused strain in Kumar’s personal life. It, as per reports, led to his wife, Twinkle Khanna, asking divorce. Director Suneel Darshan revealed that Akshay opted out of the film Barsaat due to these rumours. This ultimately led to a professional split between him and Priyanka.

Over the years, Priyanka has briefly addressed the situation. She chose to distance herself to avoid being the cause of conflict in anyone’s personal life. In July 2025, while promoting her film Heads of State, Priyanka made a rare remark praising both Akshay Kumar and Tom Cruise for their action skills.

Watch The Full Interview

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Also Read: EXCLUSIVE: Suneel Darshan Reveals Big Filmmakers Treated Akshay Kumar Like ‘Kachra’; ADMITS, “Sab Usse Ridicule Karte The”