Rajniesh Duggall Says Priyanka Chopra Refused To Work With A Newcomer In Yakeen: 'Two Months I was In Depression'

Actor Rajniesh Duggall was ousted from the Priyanka Chopra starrer 2005 film ‘Yakeen’ since she refused to star with him because he was a newcomer.

Model turned actor Rajniesh Duggall, who has been a poster boy for popular brands over the years, was ousted from the Priyanka Chopra starrer 2005 film ‘Yakeen’. Back then, the actor was among the top models in the industry and had won the titles of Mr. India and Mr. International. In a recent interview, Duggall claimed that Priyanka refused to star with him because she didn’t want to work with a newcomer.

Rajniesh Duggall was dropped from Priyanka Chopra starrer Yakeen

Rajniesh said, “I was the first choice for Yakeen, I was signed for the film. In fact, I was working on it. When I met director Girish Dhamija, he asked me, ‘When can you move to Mumbai?’ I was already planning to move to Mumbai. So, I got training from Girish ji himself; he is an alumnus of the National School of Drama and a dialect coach.”

Rajniesh Duggall also mentioned that the makers had already provided him with lavish facilities like a Juhu penthouse and a chauffeur-driven car. The actor was also trained for over two months for the film.

“They signed a three-film deal with me. I had a double role in the film with Priyanka as the lead. They put me in a penthouse at Juhu 10th Road. They gave me a car and a driver. One call and a person would bring food to my flat.”

“I left brand endorsements of Siyaram, Vimal, and other companies to concentrate on the film,” he added.

Rajniesh Duggall says the rejection took a toll on him

Speaking of the incident, Rajniesh said, “Suddenly, the producer, Sheel Kumar, called me to his office at midnight. He said their is a big issue. He told me that Priyanka has become a big star in the time span since they had signed me. He said they gave her for the bulk deal, now she is saying ‘I will not work with a newcomer’.”

"It was funny as well as emotional for me. I didn’t understand movie business at that time. My first reaction was that change the girl because I only saw them putting money on me.”

Rajniesh said that the rejection took a toll on him. "For two months I was in depression; I didn’t feel like going out of the house. I was staying with a friend. I did not go for any auditions for 2 months, even if my friends dragged me to studios," the actor said.

About Priyanka Chopra's Yakeen

The 2005 film ‘Yakeen’ is a romantic thriller directed by Girish Dhamija. It was loosely inspired by the 1991 Hollywood film Shattered. The film starred Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra in the lead roles. It also featured Kim Sharma, Sudhanshu Pandey, and Saurabh Shukla in supporting roles.