In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, director Ilya Naishuller opened up about casting Priyanka Chopra in the upcoming action-comedy Heads of State. The film, which also stars John Cena and Idris Elba, marks Naishuller’s third directorial venture and his first collaboration with the global icon.
EXCLUSIVE: Director Ilya Naishuller on casting Priyanka Chopra for Heads of State; says, “She charms me in about 45 seconds”
Recalling his first interaction with Priyanka, Ilya shared how she instantly won him over during their initial Zoom meeting. “My first call on a Zoom with her, I was like, ‘You should meet Priyanka.’ And I’d love to. So we get on the Zoom call. She charms me in about 45 seconds,” he said.
He continued, “And I’m thinking two options: either she’s not that charming, but she’s switching on because she’s an actress and she’s that good, or she is that warm, amazing person that I’m seeing right here. And both work for the movie. So thankfully, it’s option two. She really is that amazing partner for this whole thing.”
Naishuller praised Chopra’s professionalism and collaborative energy on set. “She’s a great actress. She’s made 70 movies. I’ve made 3, this is my third. She knows what she’s doing. But she does what she needs to do. She takes directions incredibly well,” he noted.
He also described her grounded, approachable demeanor during downtime on set. “We finish the shot, there’s a 15-minute setup relight, she pulls up an apple box, plops herself next to you, and like, ‘How’s it going? What are you guys doing?’”
Naishuller emphasized the importance of having positive energy on set, especially in high-pressure environments. “It’s stressful. It’s supposed to be stressful. We’re not in the hospital. We’re not in the trenches, right? So, life’s too short. It’s also too short to work with—And you want to work with people that have the same energy, they want to be there. They enjoy it.”
He concluded by appreciating the dynamic among the lead stars. “Priyanka, John, Idris, all of them—it was just like, what can we do to make this better?”
Heads of State is currently one of the most anticipated international projects featuring an Indian lead and is expected to showcase Chopra in yet another action-packed avatar.
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