Nushrratt Bharuccha Says Being Replaced In Dream Girl 2 Was ‘Unfair': ‘Even Male Actors…'

News18

04-05-2025

Last Updated:
Nushrratt Bharuccha, who was replaced by Ananya Panday in Dream Girl 2, reacted to Raaj Shaandilyaa's remark that the film was a franchise installment, not a direct sequel.
Nushrratt Bharuccha, who starred opposite Ayushmann Khurrana in the 2019 film 'Dream Girl', was not cast in the second instalment. She was replaced by Ananya Panday in the 2023 film Dream Girl 2. Last month, after Nushrratt shared that the decision to not cast her in the sequel was 'not cool', director Raaj Shaandilyaa responded by clarifying that the film was a franchise installment, not a direct sequel. Now, the actress has reacted to the director's remark, saying that she didn't think it was fair to be left out of Dream Girl 2, regardless of whether it was labelled a sequel or a franchise. She explained that similarly, if Luv Ranjan wouldn't have cast her in Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, she would have felt equally hurt and questioned the decision.
While speaking with Siddharth Kannan, Nushrratt Bharuccha said that while it felt unfair at the time, she has moved on. She talked about her friendship with Raaj Shaandilyaa, and said that they are still very close friends. She admitted that she was hurt back when Dream Girl 2 had released, however, that chapter is over for her now. 'I did another film with him. He has come to me with three more offers. We will still work together on something or the other. For me that chapter is over. But if you ask me now, did it or did it not hurt? Yes, it did. Did I feel like it was fair? I don't think it was fair. I don't think anybody can think it is fair. Sequel tha, franchise tha, jo bhi tha. Jis bhi context mein aap film ko daal do."
Nushrratt also addressed the gender bias, calling it 'unfair' that the female actors are often replaced in sequels while male actors are typically retained. She added that even her male co-stars think it is unfair. 'I would at least like to say this about the actors I have worked with, even the male actors will think it's unfair. It's not like the heroes are the ones thinking 'Sahi ho raha hai'. They are all actors. We are from the same industry. But for whatever reason, the need of that film is different," she said. She then added that it finally boils down to the decision and choice of the 'makers', and there's no point challenging it.
What Did Raaj Shaandilyaa Say About Replacing Nushrratt Bharuccha In Dream Girl 2?
Last month, director Raaj Shaandilyaa responded to Nushrratt being replaced by Ananya in Dream Girl 2. In an interview with Times of India, he explained that Dream Girl 2 was never designed as a direct sequel but as part of a growing franchise. 'If it were a proper sequel, I would've cast Nushrratt," he said. 'But since this was more of a franchise film, we decided to bring in a new female lead." Raaj added that the original story arc between Ayushmann and Nushrratt's characters had already reached a natural conclusion.
First Published:
May 04, 2025, 18:13 IST