The buzz around “Jee Le Zaraa,” the much-anticipated road movie featuring Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, and Katrina Kaif, has been palpable ever since its announcement in 2021. Directed by Farhan Akhtar and co-written by Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar, and Reema Kagti, the film promises to be a refreshing take on female friendships and road trips, reminiscent of the vibes from “Dil Chahta Hai” and “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.”
The initial announcement sent waves of excitement through social media, with fans eagerly awaiting updates. However, the journey to bring this film to life has been anything but smooth. Rumors of Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif backing out of the project were quickly dispelled by the filmmakers, who assured fans that the project was still on track.
Recently, Zoya Akhtar provided a much-needed update, confirming that the film is still in the works and that they are currently waiting for the actors’ schedules to align. “We are just waiting for the dates [of the actors],” she told IndiaToday.in, putting to rest any fears of the project being shelved.
Reema Kagti, another co-writer of the film, also confirmed earlier this year that the project is very much alive and that shooting is expected to commence by the end of the year. “We will start shooting by the end of the year. We are looking forward to it and are really excited,” she told Indianexpress.com.
Priyanka Chopra, who has been busy with her Hollywood commitments, expressed her excitement about the project in an interview with Bollywood Hungama. “I am shooting a movie with my friends, and when you do that, it’s just not work, it’s creative fun. Hopefully, we shoot it next year,” she said. This film will mark her return to Hindi cinema after a long hiatus since 2016’s “Jai Gangaajal.”
Alia Bhatt, in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, praised her co-stars and highlighted the importance of female-centric films. “I think that Priyanka, me, and Katrina are already doing roles that are sparking new conversations. We’re doing more female friendship films. We don’t see much of that. Girls’ trips, girls just being friends and not fighting over stupid things. I’m quite excited about that,” she said.
Despite the enthusiasm, the project has faced multiple delays. A source close to Farhan Akhtar revealed to Koimoi that the delay was partly due to difficulties in casting the right male actors to co-star with the three leading ladies. “The project got delayed as Farhan [Akhtar] couldn’t get the right male actors to co-star with the three ladies. The dates would have to be worked accordingly,” the source said.
Farhan Akhtar himself addressed the delays in an interview with Variety, citing scheduling conflicts and the actor’s strike as significant hurdles. “We just have issues with dates, and the actor’s strike that’s happened has put Priyanka’s [Chopra] dates into a huge tizzy with what can happen and what can’t, so I’ve started genuinely believing that that film now has a destiny of its own. It’ll happen when it has to, we’ll see,” he said.
The film, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment and Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti’s Tiger Baby Films, has been a labor of love for all involved. Farhan Akhtar, who will be returning to the director’s chair after a long hiatus since 2011’s “Don 2,” has been meticulous in ensuring that the film lives up to its potential.
Fans, however, have grown increasingly impatient. A recent fan edit on Reddit imagined what the film could look like, piecing together scenes from the actresses’ previous films to create a feel-good road trip movie. The edit sparked a flurry of reactions, with many fans lamenting the delays and calling it a “missed opportunity.”
Despite the setbacks, the excitement for “Jee Le Zaraa” remains high. Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra, and Katrina Kaif are all wrapping up their current projects, and there is hope that their schedules will soon align to make this dream project a reality. Farhan Akhtar, in the meantime, has signed on to act in Aamir Khan’s “Campeones” remake, further pushing back the timeline for “Jee Le Zaraa.”
As fans eagerly await more updates, the anticipation for “Jee Le Zaraa” continues to build. The film promises to be a landmark in Bollywood, celebrating female friendships and the joy of road trips, and fans can’t wait to see Alia, Priyanka, and Katrina bring this vision to life.
