Actor Rajniesh Duggall recently shared an intriguing anecdote from his early career, claiming that Priyanka Chopra refused to work with him in the film “Yakeen” because he was a newcomer. In a candid interview, Duggall reflected on the incident, which took place when he was just starting out in the industry.
According to Duggall, the filmmakers had approached Priyanka Chopra for the lead role, but she turned it down upon learning that her co-star would be a newcomer. This decision left a lasting impression on Duggall, who later found success in films like “1920” and “Ek Paheli Leela.”
Rajniesh revealed in an interview, “I was the first choice for Yakeen, I was signed for the film. In fact, I was working on it. When I met director Girish Dhamija, he asked me, ‘When can you move to Mumbai?’ I was already planning to move to Mumbai. So, I got training from Girish ji himself; he is an alumnus of the National School of Drama and a dialect coach.” He revealed, “Suddenly, the producer, Sujit Kumar Singh, called me to his office at night. He told me that Priyanka has become a big star in the time span since they had signed me and they had paid her for the bulk deal, now she is saying ‘I will not work with a newcomer.’ My first reaction was that change the girl because I only saw them putting money on me. I didn’t understand movie business at that time.”
Despite the initial setback, Duggall harbors no hard feelings towards Chopra and understands the competitive nature of the film industry. He used this experience as motivation to work harder and establish himself as a versatile actor.
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