Ever since Bharat director Ali Abbas Zafar tweeted about the ‘very, very special reason’ that Priyanka Chopra quit the Salman Khan film, there’s been major speculation about how it seems very unlike Chopra to drop a project for marriage. Now, some reports in the media state that there could be other reasons for her exit – her salary and ‘last-minute additions’ to the cast.

“It’s silly to even suggest that marriage should be a reason for exiting a film so abruptly. This coming from Priyanka, who has made headlines for her emancipated thought process, is quite lame,” a source told DNA.

NDTV reports that Chopra was allegedly being paid ₹12 crore for Bharat when she had actually asked for ₹14 crore. However, the latest report in DNA states that her cheque was actually for ₹6.5 crore. “Priyanka had brought up this subject with her close friend within the Khan family. However, the remuneration was decided after checking the viability factor. After all, even her last outing Jai Gangaajal (2016) wasn’t anything to write home about. And paying her the double-digit figure, which she was reportedly asking for, would not be prudent,” the DNA report further elucidates.

Another source told the newspaper that Priyanka Chopra is extremely professional and kept her work commitments even after the death of her father, Dr Ashok Chopra. “She was devastated by his death, yet she didn’t cancel the shoot. So, to say that she is opting out of a film at the nth hour, stating her engagement as a reason, seems a bit out of place,” the source told DNA.

Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan told SpotboyE that “it’s okay if she cannot do the film.”

“It’s okay whatever happened. Priyanka is not doing Bharat, let her be. Such things happen in our industry. Has it happened for the first time that someone has left a film?” Salim Khan said, adding: “Such things happen. Sometimes they happen for date issues, or the role, or even the money aspect. Aur kabhi aadmi ki kuch apni majbooriyan hoti hai. I haven’t yet got into the details of why Priyanka left Bharat, but we shall soon cast someone else. We are not upset with Priyanka. Salman Khan is also not upset.”

Anyway, at the end of the day . . .