Bollywood and international star Priyanka Chopra has reportedly withdrawn from an upcoming period drama featuring Saif Ali Khan and directed by Ritesh Batra because of a scheduling conflict. The filmmakers are now looking for a replacement to play the female lead as production gets underway in Mumbai.
According to the supplied report, Chopra had been interested in collaborating with both Saif and Batra. However, her existing professional commitments reportedly made it difficult to coordinate her availability with the film’s shooting schedule.
A source cited in the report said the actor had been keen to headline the project and work with the director and Saif. Despite efforts by the production team to adjust the filming dates around her schedule, the arrangements did not work out.
Chopra’s reported departure has prompted the filmmakers to move forward with the casting process to avoid disrupting production. The project could have marked the first time she and Saif appeared together on screen.
Saif Ali Khan’s New Film Begins Shooting in Mumbai
The period drama reportedly began filming on October 21, with scenes being shot at a museum in Mumbai’s Byculla area. Saif has already started working on his portions of the film during the initial phase of production.
According to the report, the makers are considering two candidates for the female lead, with a final casting decision expected soon. The production is also expected to follow a start-to-finish shooting schedule, with filming planned across locations in South Mumbai.
The project’s period setting and the involvement of Batra have attracted attention, particularly because of the director’s reputation for character-driven storytelling. Finding a suitable replacement for Chopra will be an important step as the production moves ahead.
Although her reported exit is linked to scheduling difficulties rather than any publicly established creative disagreement, the development highlights the challenges of coordinating major film productions when actors have multiple commitments.
Ritesh Batra Returns With Another Film Project
Batra has earned recognition for directing films that focus on relationships, personal experiences and complex characters. His notable works include The Lunchbox (2013), The Sense of an Ending (2017), Our Souls at Night (2017) and Photograph (2019).
His involvement in the upcoming period drama has added interest to the project, especially among audiences familiar with his previous films. The collaboration with Saif also brings together a director known for intimate storytelling and an actor who has worked across a range of genres.
Saif was most recently seen in Priyadarshan’s thriller Haiwaan, which also featured Akshay Kumar, according to the supplied report. His latest project is expected to add another period production to his filmography.
Priyanka Chopra’s Upcoming Movies
Despite her reported exit from the Saif Ali Khan project, Chopra has several other productions on her upcoming slate.
One of her major projects is Varanasi, directed by SS Rajamouli and featuring Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran. The film is scheduled for release on April 7, 2027, according to the report.
Chopra is also attached to Bluefly, a science-fiction action thriller featuring Russell Crowe, and Reset, a survival thriller directed by Matt Smukler.
Her international commitments and upcoming projects may require careful scheduling, particularly as productions compete for filming windows and cast availability.
For now, the immediate focus remains on the casting of Saif’s period drama. The filmmakers’ choice of a new female lead will determine how the project proceeds following Chopra’s reported departure.