Filmmaker Suneel Darshan has spoken out about the alleged affair between Akshay Kumar and Priyanka Chopra, recalling how it impacted his professional relationship with Akshay. The two had collaborated on seven films, but things changed during the making of Barsaat.

Suneel revealed that Akshay called him to set—a rare occurrence—and informed him that due to personal issues, he could not continue working with Priyanka. Akshay allegedly asked Suneel to choose between him and Priyanka. The filmmaker, surprised and disappointed after waiting 18 months, chose to proceed with Priyanka and eventually replaced Akshay with Bobby Deol.

He explained that rumors of a relationship between Akshay and Priyanka had reached Akshay’s wife, Twinkle Khanna, reportedly leading to a temporary separation. “Some blunders were made,” Suneel said in a prior interview, noting that Twinkle, being an industry insider, was fully aware of the situation.

Suneel also claimed that he helped revive Akshay’s career with Jaanwar after a string of flops and was promised future collaborations. However, their professional bond ended after Barsaat. Despite completing one more film with Priyanka, he felt the chemistry had faded. He hasn’t seen Akshay in over 20 years.