We nearly got SRK-Priyanka leading '2 States': Know what happened
What's the story
Chetan Bhagat, the author of 2 States, has revealed that Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Priyanka Chopra were once being considered for the film adaptation of his novel. The movie eventually starred younger actors Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in lead roles. In an interview with Pinkvilla, Bhagat said he wasn't initially convinced about Kapoor and Bhatt's casting but was pleasantly surprised by their performances.
Casting discussions
'There was a time when Vishal Bhardwaj was making it...'
Bhagat said, "There was a time when Vishal Bhardwaj was going to make it. There was a time when Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Priyanka Chopra's names were talked about." "I think 2 States sabhi ke naam ka article to aaya hi tha (I think articles mentioning names of most of the actors did come out)." "But when they finally said the director was new and the lead actor was Arjun Kapoor...along with Alia Bhatt... I wasn't convinced."
Casting surprise
'It turned out to be amazing casting'
Bhagat added, "This wasn't what was originally discussed. But it turned out to be amazing casting - their freshness and youth made the film what it was." The 2014 film, directed by Abhishek Varman, also starred Ronit Roy, Amrita Singh, and Revathy. It was based on Bhagat's bestseller of the same name and received positive reviews from critics as well as audiences. It told the love story of two youths from two very different states of India.
Another adaptation
Stars rejected 'Kai Po Che!' too
Bhagat also shared his experience with the casting of Kai Po Che!, another successful adaptation of his book, The 3 Mistakes of My Life. "For Kai Po Che! too, we had brand-new actors. We tried everybody, and they all said no. All the stars rejected it," he said. The film starred Sushant Singh Rajput, Rajkummar Rao, and Amit Sadh in lead roles and was directed by Abhishek Kapoor.