Ileana D’Cruz almost walked out of Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra's Barfi! for Anurag Basu!

Anurag Basu’s Barfi! (2012) is celebrated as a cinematic gem. Ranbir Kapoor’s portrayal of the mute and deaf Barfi is considered one of his most heartfelt performances, while Priyanka Chopra as Jhilmil brought raw sensitivity to her role. Ileana D’Cruz, playing Shruti, added emotional depth with her quiet strength and vulnerability. But did you know that Ileana almost quit Barfi!?

Related Story: Priyanka Chopra reminisces her most treasured film ‘Barfi!’ and how Jhilmil was born

The Day Ileana Decided to Quit Barfi!

During a recent interview with NDTV, Ileana D’Cruz revealed an incident from the film’s sets that nearly made her abandon the project. She recalled walking in one morning in high spirits, only to be unexpectedly yelled at by director Anurag Basu.

“One morning, I just walked in super happy on set and I was like, hey, how’s it going? And he was in a very bad mood. Something ticked him off and he lashed out on me and I got really offended,” she said.

Hurt by the outburst, Ileana confronted him and said, “Dada, listen, if you think I’m not right for this role and if you’re not happy with the work I’ve done, I’ll leave. I’m not going to sue you. I will leave. I love the story so much and it won’t make me happy to be in a film like this if you don’t think I’m right for the part.”

Crying, she walked away and even called the film’s producer Siddharth Roy Kapur, telling him she was quitting. He asked her to calm down and continue with her scenes until he arrived.

Making Peace with Basu

Ileana shared that Basu soon returned and addressed her affectionately as 'Ilu' a nickname only he used. He explained that she had simply walked in at the wrong time and asked her not to take his anger seriously. “We laughed it off and hugged it out,” Ileana recalled.

Must Read: Ileana D'Cruz ran away from sets of her first film as she was made to do 'unexpected things'!

Why Barfi! Endures

Despite this rocky moment, Ileana stayed on, and Barfi! went on to become a timeless classic. With Basu’s visually rich and playful direction, the film became more than just a romance- it turned into a meditation on love, imperfection, and longing. The combined brilliance of Ranbir, Priyanka, and Ileana ensured that Barfi! holds a special place in Indian cinema.