Confirmed: Manushi Chhillar to make Bollywood debut opposite Akshay Kumar in Prithviraj
Manushi Chhillar will be making her big Bollywood debut with Akshay Kumar in Prithviraj. The film is slated to hit screens on Diwali next year.
While rumours around Manushi Chhillar's Bollywood debut opposite Akshay Kumar have been doing the rounds since May this year, it has now been confirmed that the former Miss World will indeed make her debut with Yash Raj Films' Prithviraj. The beauty queen will play the role of Prithviraj's love interest Sanyogita in the periodic drama directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi.
In the film based on the life of Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan, Manushi Chhillar will be seen playing the role of Sanyogita. Confirming the news, Manushi in a statement said, "It is a huge honour to have been chosen by a production house like Yash Raj Films as their heroine! I’m thoroughly happy and thrilled about the learnings that I will have through this journey. My life, so far, has really been a fairy tale. From becoming Miss India and then Miss World to now getting such a big project as my debut film, it’s like a new, exciting chapter of my life."
Talking about her role, Manushi said, "It is a huge responsibility to play princess Sanyogita. She was a powerful personality and she stood up for what is right and took the most important decisions of her life by herself. Her life is an extremely important chapter in Indian history and I will try my best to play her as accurately as possible."
Prithviraj is being directed by Chandraprakash Dwivedi, who is known for the popular TV show Chanakya and the film Pinjar. Talking about how Manushi was selected for the role, the director said, "We auditioned a lot of young, fresh faces for the role because we were looking for a stunningly gorgeous Indian heroine. While Sanyogita was an incredibly beautiful person, she was also a strong, confident girl. We were looking to find someone who could match the magnetic persona of Sanyogita and we found that in Manushi. She auditioned for the role a couple of times because we wanted to be dead sure with this casting and she nailed it each time. She has been rehearsing six days a week since then and she is being thoroughly groomed for the last 9 months by YRF."
It was on his 52nd birthday in September this year when Akshay Kumar took to social media to announce Prithviraj. Sharing an introductory teaser, Akshay wrote, "Elated to share about my 1st historical film on my birthday! Humbled to have the opportunity to play a hero I look up to for his valor & values- Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan in one of my biggest films #Prithviraj. Producer @yrf,director #DrChandraprakashDwivedi, releasing Diwali 2020 (sic)."
Elated to share about my 1st historical film on my birthday!Humbled to have the opportunity to play a hero I look up to for his valor & values- Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan in one of my biggest films #Prithviraj.
Producer @yrf,director #DrChandraprakashDwivedi, releasing Diwali 2020 pic.twitter.com/Q2nD5KE3KR Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) September 9, 2019
Talking about Prithviraj, Akshay had said, "It is truly an honour that I will be playing the role of one of the most fearless and courageous kings of India, Prithviraj Chauhan. As a nation, we should always celebrate our heroes and immortalize what they did to propagate the values that Indians lived by. Prithviraj is our attempt to bring to light his valour and daredevilry. Prithviraj was the only person standing in front of a merciless nemesis and the bravery he showed, made him a true Indian hero, an inspiration for generations and a legend. So this announcement coming on my birthday has indeed made it more special for me."
Akshay has taken over all major festivals in 2020. Next year on Eid, the actor will be releasing his film Laxmmi Bomb, in which he plays a man possessed by the ghost of a transgender. On Diwali, Prithviraj will be hitting screens. While on CHritmas, Akshay will come with Bachchan Pandey, which is a remake of 2014 Tamil film Veeram. Kriti Sanon will be playing the female lead in the Akshay Kumar's Bachchan Pandey.
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