When the trailer for Arjun Kapoor and Kriti Sanon-starrer Panipat was released, several Twitter users began pointing out similarities between the Ashutosh Gowarikar period film and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s 2015 drama Bajirao Mastani, which starred Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra.
Parvatibai and Kashibai, aka Kriti and Priyanka, met in real life at a party in Mumbai. The two bonded over Maratha history. Kriti told mid-day that neither were bothered by the comparisons that fans had been making between their characters.
So what did the two talk about? “We were trying to figure the exact relation between Kashibai and Parvatibai,” Kriti told the publication. “Priyanka had seen my video where I was dancing on ‘Coca Cola’ (from Luka Chuppi) in my vanity van, dressed as Parvatibai. It resonated with her. She said, ‘It reminded me of myself because whenever I would be off the set, I was no longer Kashibai. I would slip into my character again when I was on the set.’ We had a fun, informal conversation,” she added.
Panipat stars an ensemble cast of Arjun Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Sanjay Dutt, Mohnish Bahl and Padmini Kolhapure in pivotal roles with Zeenat Aman in a guest appearance. The film is based on the Third Battle of Panipat, which took place on 14 January 1761. The battle was fought between the Marathas Empire and invading forces of the King of Afghanistan, Ahmad Shah Abdali, supported by two Indian allies – the Rohilla Afghans of the Doab, and Shuja-ud-Daula, the Nawab of Awadh.
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)