Actress Patralekhaa, who recently captivated audiences with her performance in the Anubhav Sinha-directed web series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,’ is celebrating a decade in the entertainment industry. In an exclusive interview with mid-day.com, she opens up about her journey from Shillong to Mumbai, shedding light on how the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi served as an essential ice-breaker during her early days in the bustling metropolis.
Reflecting on her early days, Patralekhaa shares, “I wasn’t immediately embraced by the people here. It took a decade for the city to warm up to me.” The actress, who made her debut in 2014 with Hansal Mehta’s ‘CityLights’, co-starring Rajkummar Rao—whom she later married—recounts her initial struggle. “When I was in Bangalore, I’d occasionally get modeling offers, but I always declined. Moving to Mumbai was a different ballgame.”
Patralekhaa’s father, a Chartered Accountant (CA), initially wanted her to follow in his professional footsteps. “My dad enrolled me in a CA institute because he was a CA himself. For the first year, I tried to focus on studies, but my heart wasn’t in it,” she reveals. Determined to pursue acting, she says, “By then, I had decided to chase my dreams, but I had no idea how to navigate the industry. I had no friends, and I was completely new. I hustled like a maniac.”
Unlike many aspiring actors, Patralekhaa didn’t have a traditional support system or industry connections when she started. “I wasn’t part of any agency. I used to get bulk messages from casting coordinators. Fortunately, my parents were my pillar of strength. We had a house in Oshiwara, Mumbai, which coincidentally turned out to be the hub for auditions.” This serendipitous investment became one of the key elements in her journey. “My parents hadn’t planned for me to become an actress, but everything just fell into place.
. Going to auditions daily gave me a sense of purpose and achievement,” she adds.
During these tough initial years, Patralekhaa experienced Mumbai’s cultural nuances firsthand. She recalls how challenging it was to adapt to the city’s fast-paced, independent lifestyle. “Here, people are focused on their own lives, which is wonderful but was hard for me initially since I knew no one,” she explains. It wasn’t until the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi that she began to feel a sense of belonging. “I didn’t even know who my neighbors were until Ganpati time. They knocked on my door, invited me to join in the celebrations, and that’s how I started to make friends,” she reveals.
Ganesh Chaturthi, an annual festival celebrated with great fervor in Mumbai, proved to be a significant turning point for Patralekhaa. The festival embodies various aspects of Indian culture, including the spirit of togetherness, celebration of life, and community bonding. “Ganpati brings in so many factors—celebrating life, food, meeting people. It broke the ice for me. Raj even sculpts Ganpati at home,” she says with a smile.
Over the past decade, Patralekhaa has seen Mumbai in its many avatars—the resilient city that rebounds after adversities such as floods and terrorist attacks. “Mumbai has taught me a lot. It truly offers so much in terms of wealth, people, and learning,” she states. Despite the hardship, she remains optimistic and deeply connected to the city that she now calls home.
From her modest beginnings in Shillong to becoming a recognized face in Mumbai’s entertainment circuit, Patralekhaa’s journey is a testament to her resilience and determination. She has successfully carved out a niche for herself, proving that passion, hard work, and a bit of serendipity can indeed lead to success.
As she basks in the accolades for her role in ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack,’ Patralekhaa continues to look forward to new challenges and opportunities. Her story serves as an inspiration to aspiring actors and anyone striving to make their mark in an unfamiliar world. With the backing of her supportive parents and the lessons learned through her journey, Patralekhaa stands as a shining example of how cultural experiences and personal determination can pave the way for greatness in the ever-evolving industry of entertainment.
