Filmmaker Suneel Darshan, who is known for directing hit collaborations with Akshay Kumar in the early 2000s, has addressed the actor’s sudden exit from his 2005 film Barsaat. While promoting Andaaz 2, Darshan recalled the behind-the-scenes turbulence and explained why he chose to retain Priyanka Chopra as the lead, even as Akshay backed out.“There was a lot of turbulence in his personal life”Responding to whether Akshay was initially cast in Barsaat before being replaced by Bobby Deol, Suneel Darshan confirmed, “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.”Darshan said Akshay himself approached him with the request to exit the film. He told Bollywood Bubble, “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.”Reflecting on how these personal choices affect a film’s fate, he added, “Lekin kya hota hai, galti karna insaan ki fitrat hoti hai — aur producer ko maar khana uski taqdeer mein hota hai.”“I didn’t want Priyanka to bear the burden”Despite the rumoured fallout between Akshay and Priyanka Chopra, Darshan chose not to replace the actress in the film.“Yeh mera faisla tha, kyunki main chahta tha ki Priyanka Chopra ko us haadse ki responsibility ka onus na doon,” he said. “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.”“Maine socha ki yeh hi better hai ki Priyanka ko continue karein, aur jisne mujhe option diya hai, usse replace karein.”
A professional split sparked by personal rumours?Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra had once been one of Bollywood’s most bankable onscreen pairs, delivering hits like Andaaz, Aitraaz, and Mujhse Shaadi Karogi. However, rumours of a romantic relationship between the two began circulating around the time of Barsaat, reportedly causing strain in Akshay’s marriage with Twinkle Khanna.As per reports, Twinkle even considered divorce, prompting the actor to distance himself from Priyanka professionally. Their on-screen collaborations abruptly ceased following the incident.Over the years, Priyanka Chopra has largely remained silent on the matter. However, she has subtly acknowledged making the choice to step away to avoid causing tension in anyone’s personal life.Most recently, in July 2025, while promoting her Hollywood film Heads of State, the actress briefly addressed her past professional dynamics, praising both Akshay Kumar and Tom Cruise for their action abilities, marking a rare mention of her former co-star.
