Priyanka recalls how Rakesh Roshan cast her in Krrish

Priyanka Chopra’s rise to fame in Bollywood is a testament to both hard work and chance encounters. At the recent

Red Sea International Film Festival

(RSIFF), the actress shared a captivating story of how she was cast in Krrish (2006), where she played the female lead opposite Hrithik Roshan. What makes the story even more remarkable is that her casting came about through a chance encounter at a funeral.
Priyanka, dressed simply in a white salwar kameez, caught the attention of filmmaker Rakesh Roshan at the funeral, who was struck by her simplicity and authenticity. Impressed, Roshan asked directors Abbas-Mustan, who had previously worked with Priyanka on

Aitraaz

(2004), to show him some footage of her performance.
Reflecting on the experience, Priyanka confessed, “I was terrified that I would never get the role because the Priya in Krrish was super innocent, just not worldly, and had belief in the goodness of people, kind of person, while Sonia in Aitraaz was the complete opposite—she would eat you alive.”

Despite her concerns, Rakesh Roshan saw beyond the characters she played and was impressed by her authenticity. He told her, “I wasn’t looking at the character you were playing, I was looking at how authentic you were in your scenes, and you were an amazing actor. I knew you could play anything.”

Priyanka also reflected on her role in Aitraaz, where she portrayed a character vastly different from Priya in Krrish. The experience taught her an important lesson in her career: "I should not judge by characters. As an actress, I play many different kinds of people, but if I start judging what those people do, I can’t play them authentically."