Nushrratt Bharuccha reveals she was once made to fly economy class with technicians: 'All other actors were in business class'

Economic Times

2 days ago

Synopsis
Nushrratt Bharuccha faced early career challenges in Bollywood, experiencing unequal treatment regarding travel arrangements. Despite a successful film, she was unexpectedly dropped by her agency, leading to a two-year period without work. She persevered, eventually rebuilding her career and starring in 'Chhorii 2,' marking a significant comeback.
In a candid chat with Nayandeep Rakshit, 'Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety' actress revealed she was made to fly in an economy class, along with technicians. Breaking into Bollywood is no easy feat, especially for someone without any industry ties. Nushrratt Bharuccha, known for her role in Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, reflected on the hurdles she faced as an outsider trying to establish herself in a world that often favors familiarity over fresh faces. Early in her career, Nushrratt often found herself in uncomfortable and unequal situations, particularly when it came to travel arrangements during shoots. She recounted how she used to travel in economy class alongside technicians and their assistants, even while co-actors with more significant roles enjoyed the comfort of business class. On one particular occasion during an international flight for a film where she had a minor role, all the lead actors were seated in business class. Meanwhile, she had been assigned a seat in the economy section, grouped with the crew support staff. Some acquaintances from the business class section invited her to join them, but she chose to remain in her designated seat. Her reasoning was rooted in dignity and belief—she wanted to wait for the day she would rightfully be booked in business class by the production house itself, not just out of courtesy or pity. Over time, she managed to turn that belief into a reality through her persistence and work ethic."Once, I was playing a small role in a film. All the other actors were seated in business class, while I was in economy class along with the assistants of technicians. I had made friends with some of the people (in business class). They said, 'Nush, come and sit with us.' That was an option as well. But I said, 'I won't come because this is the place that was given to me. But I will come to a place where I will fly business class and they will book my tickets with the production house's money, not mine.' I have managed to make that happen," she said. Despite delivering a successful film that marked a high point in her career, Nushrratt soon found herself in an unexpectedly dark phase. She didn't mention the film by name, but shortly after its success, her management agency dropped her without warning. The rejection came in the most unexpected way—a seemingly routine coffee meeting with her manager turned into a heartbreaking conversation.Without much explanation, she was told that the agency could no longer represent her. This was a deeply emotional moment for her, made worse by the fact that she had just delivered one of the biggest hits of her life. She tried to hold back tears, but the emotional toll was overwhelming. After the manager left, Nushrratt sat alone, silently weeping into her coffee. She had gone from a career high to a painful void with no professional support.For nearly two years following this incident, she had no work. Despite the perception that she was simply taking her time to choose the right scripts, the reality was far more distressing. She wasn't flooded with offers, nor was she rejecting projects selectively—she simply wasn't being approached. With no team or agency to represent her and no projects in the pipeline, Nushrratt felt isolated in an industry that often only values constant visibility and momentum. While the public assumed she was taking a break to carefully craft her next move, she was actually struggling to stay afloat emotionally and professionally.Despite these setbacks, Nushrratt continued to rebuild her career. Most recently, she appeared in Chhorii 2, a horror thriller directed by Vishal Furia. The movie, produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Vikram Malhotra, and Jack Davis, is a sequel to the 2021 film Chhorii. In this installment, she returned in the lead role, supported by actors Soha Ali Khan, Gashmeer Mahajani, and Saurabh Goyal. The film premiered on Amazon Prime Video on April 11, 2025, marking another significant milestone in her ongoing journey through Bollywood's unpredictable terrain.