'Citadel: Honey Bunny' directors on how COVID-19 derailed Priyanka Chopra's cameo in Indian spinoff: 'We had multiple drafts for Priyanka'

Fans for 'Citadel: Honey Bunny', an Indian spinoff of the popular Citadel series, have been hoping that Priyanka Chopra gets some screen time in this new installment. Citadel, starring Priyanka Chopra as protagonist Nadia, turned out to be something of a global phenomenon, and with that attention, all eyes are geared towards whether she might return in this Indian version, which boasts Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu.

Directors Raj and DK recently revealed that despite planning for the cameo, the pandemic had just been an issue.

They said in an interview with OTT Play, indicating the show's directors admitted to writing multiple drafts with the incorporation of Chopra's character. "We had multiple drafts wherein we did have an inclusion of Priyanka," they said, indicating that an ambitious plan for a crossover was marred by COVID-19 altering production dates, altering budgets, and filming logistics. The two-year uncertainty period during the pandemic reshaped their vision that later concluded into a reworked storyline that featured nobody but Chaturvedi's character.

Though she doesn't appear in Honey Bunny, Priyanka Chopra has been avidly supporting the film. Raj and DK were appreciative of the encouragement. "She has been very supportive because it's her character," they said, well accepting the fact that even though she wasn't appearing in the spinoff, Priyanka Chopra was still going all out for Citadel.

Priyanka Chopra's character Nadia makes an appearance in the form of a backstory that traces her from childhood to the early efforts of her parents at saving her.