Patralekhaa Recalls Rejection for Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2: "It Gave Me Respect as an Artist"

Actor Patralekhaa, known for her debut performance in CityLights (2014), recently opened up about an early career experience involving director Luv Ranjan's Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2. Speaking in an interview, Patralekhaa revealed that she auditioned for the film but was ultimately rejected by the filmmaker.

“Before CityLights, I was auditioning for Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2. Luv sir was taking the auditions, and his auditions are always very elaborate. There was Nushrratt, Kartik, Omkar, Sunny, and many other girls. These three-four people were finalised, and they wanted two more new faces. I auditioned and felt that I will get this role," Patralekhaa shared.

She recounted how hopeful she was when Luv Ranjan called her after the audition. “Then later on, I was in the gym, and Luv Ranjan called me. Phone tab aata hai jab aapko milta hai (You get a call when you bag the role). He asked me to come over and I felt so excited. I took a shower and wore my best clothes to head over to his office,” she added.

However, the outcome of the meeting was not what she had hoped for. She explained, “He sat me down, and no one was there—it was just me and him. In my mind, I thought that he will break the good news and people will come in with flowers, chocolates, and cakes. He said, ‘Yaar, yeh jaane de (Let this one go).’ At that moment, I felt really bad and thought, ‘How can he just call me and say no to my face? It’s not cool.’ I came out and was super upset.”

Despite the initial disappointment, Patralekhaa later reflected on the gesture with gratitude. “I went back home, and it dawned upon me later that he gave me so much respect as an artist and actor. He calls me to his office and says, ‘Beta nahi hopaaya, but hum aage jaake kaam karenge na (Child, it couldn’t work out this time, but we’ll work together in the future).’ That’s a lot, and I think that’s why I got Wild Wild Punjab.”Released in 2011, Pyaar Ka Punchnama became a box office success, featuring a cast that included Kartik Aaryan, Nushrratt Bharuccha, Sunny Singh, Divyenndu, Omkar Kapoor, Ishita Raj Sharma, and Sonnalli Seygall. The sequel, Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, continued the franchise's success, further cementing its place in Bollywood’s rom-com genre.