By: Entertainment DeskNew Delhi | October 13, 2025 04:16 PM IST 3 min readActor Annu Kapoor and global star Priyanka Chopra have shared the screen twice in their careers — first in Aitraaz (2004) and later in 7 Khoon Maaf (2011). While Aitraaz earned them praise for their performances, 7 Khoon Maaf drew them into controversy for an entirely different reason. The issue began during the promotion of 7 Khoon Maaf, when Annu Kapoor claimed that Priyanka had refused to kiss him on screen because he was “not good-looking.” The statement stirred headlines at the time. Responding to it, Priyanka called the controversy “irritating and unnecessary” in an interview with Hindustan Times.Now, nearly 15 years later, Annu Kapoor has revisited the controversy in a new interview with Shubhankar Mishra. He clarified that the entire episode was blown out of proportion and suggested that “someone did it all for PR.”“When I was working on Aitraaz, I used to address Priyanka as ‘beti’,” said the actor. “I would often meet her father, Ashok Chopra. Later, when Vishal Bhardwaj asked her to do an intimate scene with me for 7 Khoon Maaf, it was obvious she would feel uncomfortable. When I sensed that, I requested Vishal to cut the scene.”ALSO READ | AR Rahman recalls spending 3 years reading Quran, learnt Hindi and Urdu after seeing ‘humiliating’ comments on translations of his Tamil songs He explained that his rapport with Priyanka’s father made it impossible for him to see her in a romantic light. “I treated her like my daughter. It’s not necessary that I fulfill any lustful desires on set,” he said.The veteran actor added that while director Vishal Bhardwaj initially resisted removing the scene, the team later decided to respect Priyanka’s discomfort. “Vishal said, ‘I have written the scene for a reason; I can’t remove it randomly.’ Eventually, her team conveyed she wasn’t okay with it. I didn’t make a fuss, but somehow it spread like wildfire online.”Reflecting on the controversy, Annu Kapoor maintained that Priyanka had every right to say no. “It was her choice, and she did the right thing. I am too small a person for a star like Priyanka Chopra to even think about. I never held it against her. It would have been different if it were some better-looking hero, perhaps,” he said with a smile.Story continues below this adStanding by his earlier statements, the actor concluded, “It’s all about stardom. Once you become a star, the decisions and dynamics change.”Click here to follow Screen Digital on YouTube and stay updated with the latest from the world of cinema.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Annu KapoorPriyanka Chopra