Andaaz Clocks 8 Years: ‘Priyanka Chopra And Lara Dutta Weren’t Great Friends, But There Was No Rivalry Between Them’ Says Suneel Darshan

As Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra and Suneel Darshan starrer Andaaz clocks 8 years, we look back the iconic film that went on to capture cinegoers’ imagination. Here’s a fact-checker on the movie!

1. In a blockbuster year when the biggest Bollywood badshahs burst onto the big screen, this film with two new heroines and Akshay Kumar held its own. Andaaz was one of the biggest grossers of 2003. This was the year of Karan Johar-Akshay Kumar’s Kal Ho Na Ho, Raj Kumar Hirani’s Munnabhai, Rakesh and Hrithik Roshan’s Koi…Mil Gaya and Amitabh Bachchan-Hema Malini-Ravi Chopra’s Baghbaan. Andaaz became a huge hit amidst the formidable competition.

2. Contrary to what is widely believed, Andaaz was NOT directed by Suneel Darshan but the late and much-missed Raj Kanwar (who died suddenly in 2012 at age 50). Suneel who produced Andaaz recalls, “Raj came to me with this concept of a modern love triangle about an airforce pilot and the two women in his life. I loved it. I immediately greenlighted the project.”

3. Raj Kanwar was known to deliver hits throughout his career. Deewaana, the film that made Shah Rukh Khan an overnight superstar was directed by Kanwar. So were the two big Sridevi hits Laadla and Judaai. With Akshay Kumar and his wife Twinkle, Raj did two films each. Andaaz was a dream come true for Akshay. He wanted to be an airforce pilot in  real life.

4. The big USP of Andaaz was the two new heroines Miss Universe Lara Dutta and Miss World Priyanka Chopra. The clash of the two sirens was highlighted in all the publicity when in fact the two ladies got along like a house on fire. “There was never any rivalry between them. They were not great friends. But they liked and respected one another. That whole rivalry was media made marketing manufacture,” reveals Suneel Darshan. Both the debutantes had equally well-defined roles. Both were expected to become  superstars. But Priyanka raced ahead. “She  was definitely  the more  ambitious  between the two,” says Suneel.

5. Andaaz was Suneel Darshan’s sexiest production ever.He  chooses to see it as  ‘sensuous’. Both the ladies, specially  Priyanka were   made  to  do a  lot  of  skin show.As a matter  of fact even Akshay  who abhors  body show  was  seen in skimpy clothes. Priyanka later admitted to  me, ‘Thoda zyada  ho gaya.’  She did  two other  films with Akshay. But  rumours about them nixed her  pairing with Akshay. In an interview to me in 2004 Akshay had spoken about the  rumours. He  said,  “Why should I let such loose talk affect me? Everyone knows who’s instigating it. The target isn’t me but Priyanka. I just got caught in the crossfire. Now that the newspaper, which wrote about a public fight between me and my wife in Goa, has very graciously admitted that their information was wrong, the truth is out in the open. My family life remains untouched by these malicious elements. I’d rather concentrate on my career than get into these useless controversies.’ Andaaz apna apna.