Priyanka Chopra drops truth bomb about Ram-Leela song casting with SLB’s final nod

Priyanka Chopra recently reflected on her appearance in Ram Chahe Leela, the memorable dance number from Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela (2013). The actor shared a snippet of the song on Instagram, revealing that saying yes to it wasn’t straightforward.

“When Sanjay sir came to me with this song, it was a complicated decision, but him as a filmmaker has always inspired me,” Priyanka wrote. “His creative mind, his nostalgic stories usually over incredible food, the conversations of art and music to dance… the beauty of the yesteryears but also what the future holds. And then he played the song… and I knew I was her.”

She also gave credit to the crew, highlighting their effort and commitment during the shoot. “Under Sanjay sir’s guidance, Ravi Varman’s cinematography shone, and Vishnu Deva was magic! Him and I would rehearse during lunch breaks every day to perfect the dance sequences. This brings back such great memories,” she added.

The song remains one of her standout special appearances, even though she wasn’t cast in the lead role. In an older interview with Lehren Retro, Priyanka’s mother, Dr Madhu Chopra, gave some insight into how that came to be.

“She went to his office… When she came back, she said, ‘I am only doing a song in Ram Leela.’ I asked her what happened. She said, ‘I think that’s better.’ They might have had some lovely discussions that she agreed for something like this because they are still friends,” Dr Chopra had shared.

Dr Chopra also touched on Priyanka’s emotionally taxing role as Kashibai in Bajirao Mastani. “Kashibai was very hard because it was all about the expressions… Sanjay Bhansali is not an easy director. To keep him pleased with the performance was the target,” she said.

Meanwhile, Priyanka is expected to return to Indian screens in SS Rajamouli’s upcoming project, tentatively titled SSMB29, alongside Mahesh Babu. The film is already generating buzz and marks her re-entry into Indian cinema after a significant hiatus.