Nushrratt Bharuccha REACTS to being replaced by Ananya Panday in Dream Girl 2 with Ayushmann Khurrana: 'Even the male actors will think it’s unfair'

Nushrratt Bharuccha, who charmed audiences opposite Ayushmann Khurrana in the 2019 hit Dream Girl, was notably absent from its 2023 follow-up, Dream Girl 2, where Ananya Panday stepped into the lead role. While director Raaj Shaandilyaa recently clarified that the film was part of a franchise and not a direct sequel, Nushrratt has now responded, expressing that the label doesn't lessen the disappointment.Nushrratt's Disappointment with the DecisionThe actress shared that, for her, it wasn’t about technicalities—being left out of the second film still felt unfair. Drawing a parallel, she said she would have felt just as hurt if Luv Ranjan had chosen not to cast her in Pyaar Ka Punchnama 2, a project closely associated with her early career. Nushrratt’s candid response sheds light on how emotional investment in a film can run deeper than contracts and casting decisions.Moving On But Acknowledging the HurtIn an interview with Siddharth Kannan, Nushrratt reflected on her past experience, acknowledging that while it felt unfair at the time, she has since moved on. She shared her ongoing friendship with Raaj Shaandilyaa, mentioning that they remain close and have even worked together after Dream Girl 2 was released. Despite feeling hurt by the situation back then, she emphasized that she has closed that chapter in her life. Nushrratt mentioned that Raaj has approached her with multiple offers for future projects, and they plan to collaborate again. While she doesn’t think the circumstances were fair, she has come to terms with it and looks forward to working together in the future.Addressing Gender Bias in the IndustryThe actress spoke about the gender bias in the industry, calling it unfair that female actors are often replaced in sequels, while male actors usually remain unchanged. She pointed out that even her male co-stars agree with her, acknowledging that they too see the situation as unfair. She explained that the male actors don’t feel that the way things are happening is justified, as they are all part of the same industry. However, she added that the needs of each film may vary, and ultimately, the decisions are in the hands of the filmmakers. According to her, there's no point in challenging these choices as they are based on the makers' vision.Raaj Shaandilyaa Explains the Decision to Replace NushrrattDirector Raaj Shaandilyaa recently addressed the replacement of Nushrratt by Ananya Panday in Dream Girl 2. In an interview with Times of India, he clarified that Dream Girl 2 was never intended to be a direct sequel, but rather part of an expanding franchise. He mentioned that if it had been a true sequel, he would have cast Nushrratt again. However, since the film was more of a franchise continuation, they chose to introduce a new female lead. Raaj further explained that the story arc between Ayushmann and Nushrratt’s characters had naturally concluded in the first film, making room for new dynamics in the sequel.