Director Ali Abbas Zafar had shared the news that Priyanka had left the project while hinting that it was because of her engagement with boyfriend Nick Jonas.
    
But there were reports of a fallout between Salman and the "Quantico" star, who has just bagged Hollywood film "Cowboys Ninja Vikings" opposite Chris Pratt     

 

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Talking to reporters at the trailer launch of his upcoming production "Loveratri", Salman said if they knew that she had signed a big film in Hollywood, they wouldn't have stopped her.
    
"We got to know about it at the end moment and that too 10 days before the start of shooting. We got to know that she wants to leave the film and she has gone home," Salman said.
    
The actor said Priyanka gave a "different reason" to them about leaving the film.
    
"That time some other reasons were given to us. That (Priyanka's rumoured engagement to Nick) might also be the reason but this (her Hollywood project) is also a reason. Whatever the reason, whether marriage or film, or she does not want to work in India or she does not want to work with me and in only Hollywood films and TV shows, it's hers," he said.
    
"We are happy and supportive about her doing really good work. So what if she is not working here. She is making India proud. If she does not want to work with Salman Khan, at least she is working with a big hero of Hollywood. So we are okay with that," he said.
   
Salman said after Priyanka left the project, they approached Katrina Kaif who agreed to do the film, despite being busy with Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Zero" and Aamir Khan's "Thugs of Hindostan".
    
"When she told us that it is not working out for the reasons she gave us, then we straight away said 'ok. No problem. All the best' and we went for Katrina."
    
"Priyanka's dates were available and so we had a month. Katrina is doing 'Zero' with Shah Rukh and 'Thugs of Hindostan' with Aamir (Khan) and between all this she had to get the dates for another film with me after 'Tiger Zinda Hai'," Salman said.
    
The 52-year-old actor said he is happy that Katrina is now a part of "Bharat".

 

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"We are really happy that she is a part of 'Bharat' because she is really hardworking and she is doing very well for herself right now. We are all thankful that she could adjust her dates," he added. 
     
The first schedule of "Bharat", which also stars Disha Patani, wrapped today and the team will next travel to Malta for shooting.