Nushrratt Bharuccha on being replaced by Ananya Panday in Dream Girl 2: 'Hurt even more'

Nushrratt Bharuccha has made a name for herself in the movies over the past 20 years, thanks to her adaptability and powerful performances. She started her career with Jai Santoshi Maa in 2006. She has consistently shown her mettle in films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2 (2015), in which she co-starred with Kartik Aaryan, and in Chhorii (2021), where she played the terrifying Sakshi.

Catch Nushrratt Bharuccha in powerful and diverse roles—stream Janhit Mein Jaari, Darr @ The Mall, and Valeba Raja now on OTTplay Premium!

Nushrratt Bharuccha's surprising replacement in Dream Girl 2

In 2019, Bharuccha appeared in the smash comedy Dream Girl starring Ayushmann Khurrana, and she won over audiences. Fans held high expectations for her return in the sequel. Although many of the original actors returned for Dream Girl 2 (which came out in 2023), the replacement of Bharuccha with Ananya Panday was a surprise. The actor has now spoken publicly about the ordeal, acknowledging that it was difficult, two years after it occurred.

She recently spoke openly with Nayandeep Rakshit about her struggles and triumphs as an outsider in Bollywood. Bharuccha went on to explain her disappointment in being left out of Dream Girl 2 by saying that it hurts her even more when she was not part of her sequel also, when every other actor was the same except the girl, which she felt was not cool. However, she claimed that there is no issue.

Nushrratt Bharuccha on choosing not to contest the decision

"No, and I'll tell you the truth," Bharuccha said honestly when asked if she attempted to overturn the judgement. When she feels there is no hope for a change, she refuses to fight against it. The actor further said, "What do I fight? What am I going to say? ‘Why not me?’ They'll say, ‘Because we don’t want you.’ That’s the truth of it; it ends there. Eventually, it's the choice somebody's making, right? I cannot question your choice."

The actor thinks it's more important to focus on the future and be with supportive people than to wallow in self-pity. The fact that someone is willing to collaborate with her and recognise her worth means a lot to her, and she added, "My fight is not giving up on myself."

Nushrratt Bharuccha's powerful message of resilience

Bharuccha summed up her determination with a strong analogy: “Deewar mein sar maarke kya hone waala hai? Sir tootega apna. Koi baat nahi, kahi aur darwaza bana lo, apni khidki bana, wahan se ek step aage peeche karlo, andar bahar karlo.” (Banging your head against a wall—what will that achieve? It'll only break your own head. No worries; make another door somewhere. Create your own window—take a step forward or back from there, go in or out as you please.)

Chhorii 2 is Nushrratt's most recent feature film streaming on Prime Video, and she is currently enjoying the success of the terrifying sequel to her 2021 horror smash. The film, which stars Soha Ali Khan, is getting mixed reactions from the critics and viewers alike.