Priyanka Chopra shares why she hurled expletives at Barfi director Anurag Basu

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas recently shared a nostalgic post on Instagram about her casting journey for the critically acclaimed film Barfi! She revealed that director Anurag Basu initially couldn’t envision her as Jhilmil, an autistic girl, due to her glamorous appearance.

Mumbai: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who was recently seen in the streaming movie ‘Heads of State’, has recollected the interesting journey behind her casting for one of her most heartfelt works, Jhilmil from ‘Barfi’.

On Saturday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared a video, showing different scenes from ‘Barfi’. She penned a long note in the caption, as she shared she almost lost out on the role as director Anurag Basu couldn’t picture her as an autistic girl as he saw a decked up version of the actress, who was “dressed to the nines”.

She wrote, “In Jan 2009, while filming ‘Anjaana Anjaani’ in New York with Ranbir Kapoor, he mentioned his next, Barfi! With Anurag Basu, a filmmaker I admired. So when Sir offered me Jhilmil, I was thrilled. We met at my Mumbai home, I’d just returned from an event, dressed to the nines. He took one look and said he couldn’t imagine me as Jhilmil. I understood, I didn’t want to mess it up either. We agreed to workshop for 5 days”.

She went on to share liberating experience during the workshop when she had to hurl Hindi expletives at the director, as she shared, “We immersed ourselves in research, reading, watching videos, meeting children on the autism spectrum, and doing exercises in his Aram Nagar office. One day, he asked me to hurl vile Hindi expletives at him. Mortified, I still tried, it was hilarious, liberating, and pulled me out of my comfort zone. After more “Basu-style” drills, Jhilmil was born. Most Barfi–Jhilmil scenes were improvised”.

She further mentioned, “Sir shared an idea, and we ran with it. This was also one of the last times my Dad visited me on set. Barfi! remains one of my most treasured films – for the creativity, the crew, and the joy of shared challenges. Ravi Varman’s cinematography was pure poetry. Gorgeous Ileana D’Cruz brought such grace to Shruti, Ranbir shone like the star he is, and Anurag Sir, brilliant, gentle, playful. His storytelling is magic”.

“We shot over two years with breaks, unsure if audiences would embrace it. They did beyond our dreams. The love for Jhilmil has stayed with me ever since. On this nostalgic Saturday, I felt like sharing. What are you reminiscing about these days?”, she added.

‘Barfi’, which was Anurag’s love letter to cinema, was also sent as India’s official entry for the Oscars. However, the film couldn’t make it to the Oscar shortlisting.