Chetan Bhagat Reveals 2 States Was First Offered To Shah Rukh Khan & Priyanka Chopra

Author Chetan Bhagat has revealed that the lead pair of 2 States, one of Bollywood’s most popular romantic dramas, could have looked very different. Before Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor took on the now-iconic roles, the film was reportedly being developed with superstar Shah Rukh Khan and global icon Priyanka Chopra in mind.

During a recent conversation with Pinkvilla, Bhagat shared that there were multiple iterations of the project before it finally took shape under Abhishek Varman’s direction in 2014.

‘Vishal Bhardwaj Was Going to Make It Once’

The Five Point Someone author said, “There was a time Vishal Bharadwaj was going to make it. There was a time when Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, and Priyanka Chopra’s names were talked about. I think 2 States sabhi ke naam ka article to aaya hi tha.”

He further admitted he was initially surprised by the final casting when Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor were announced. “To be honest, when they said, there is a new director and it’s Arjun Kapoor who had one movie and Alia Bhatt who had one movie, Student Of The Year. I was like ‘okay’, but this is not what was discussed. It was such a nice casting, and it made the movie fresh because they were young. If it were older actors, I don’t know, maybe they would have done a great job. But it was very surprising,” he added.

About 2 States and Its Success

Directed by Abhishek Varman, 2 States was based on Bhagat’s semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. The film told the story of a young couple from different cultural backgrounds, a Punjabi boy and a Tamil girl, trying to win over each other’s families. It starred Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor alongside Amrita Singh, Ronit Roy, and Revathy.

The 2014 romantic drama struck a chord with audiences and critics alike, praised for its relatable storytelling and youthful energy. Celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Riteish Deshmukh, Prabhudheva, and Sonakshi Sinha lauded the film, which went on to perform strongly at the box office.

Where Are Arjun and Alia Now

Alia Bhatt was last seen in Jigra, released in October, which unfortunately failed to impress at the box office. She is currently working on her next project titled Alpha.

Arjun Kapoor, on the other hand, recently appeared in Mere Husband Ki Biwi, which underperformed, and played a villainous role in Singham Again, where his character drew parallels with Ravana for kidnapping Kareena Kapoor’s character.