In the early 2000s, Kareena Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra were known for their off-screen rivalry. Their tense dynamic wasn’t just tabloid fodder; it played out publicly, most memorably through sharp jabs exchanged on Koffee with Karan. But the root of this reported friction might be traced back to 2003, during the making of Aitraaz, an Abbas-Mustan courtroom thriller, also starring Akshay Kumar.
While Aitraaz was a commercial success, it was Priyanka’s morally complex character that drew significant attention. Her portrayal was seen as bold, nuanced, and unlike anything Bollywood had shown at the time for a female lead. Now, veteran filmmaker and producer Suneel Darshan has revealed that Kareena Kapoor was originally offered the role of Sonia, a part that ultimately helped define Priyanka Chopra’s early career.
“There are times when actors miscalculate,” Darshan told Bollywood Bubble. “At that time, a negative role was still viewed as something like a vamp. And the fact that Priyanka was cast alongside Amrish Puri as his wife, so it felt more like a Shashikala-type role. You know, like the ones Shashikala or Bindu used to play in older films. But with time, narratives change, and so do perspectives. And I thought to myself, my God, Bebo (Kareena) made such a big mistake.”
According to Darshan, Kareena was offered the film first and she could have easily grabbed Sonia’s part. “But Bebo is Bebo. She always wanted to glide through everything easily. She lost out on that role because she chose not to do it. She picked the heroine’s part opposite the hero. She could have taken Priyanka’s role too, but she didn’t.”
Darshan praised Priyanka for taking a risk when many actresses at the time were hesitant to portray grey characters. “Priyanka was at a stage where she was on the rise. She was the go-getter. Whatever she wanted, she went after and got it. And that role justified something that wasn’t considered normal, it made you believe in it.”
What followed was reportedly an unspoken rift between Kareena and Priyanka, with each taking subtle (and not-so-subtle) digs at the other over the years. On various seasons of Koffee with Karan, both stars made pointed remarks. At one point, Kareena even questioned Priyanka’s National Award win for Fashion, prompting widespread speculation about tension between the two. Interestingly, the two actresses shared a couch on Koffee with Karan in 2019 during its sixth season, where they laughed off their past remarks and displayed a surprisingly warm, refreshed dynamic.
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In a 2023 interview with Mid-Day, Kareena seemed to put those rumours to rest. She denied ever having any “catfights” with Priyanka but admitted to saying “foolish things” when she was younger. “I’m a more relaxed person now,” she said, reflecting on how marriage, motherhood, and a successful career have grounded her. When asked directly if there was ever tension with Priyanka, Kareena responded, “Not at all! Rubbish. I was like, ‘What is going on?’”
