8Actor Patralekhaa, who made her debut opposite Rajkummar Rao in CityLights, has opened up about the challenges of carving her own identity in the film industry. In a candid conversation with Galatta India, Patralekhaa said she’s tired of being identified solely as “Rajkummar Rao’s wife,” and is determined to stand on her own merit.
“I really hate just being called Rajkummar Rao’s wife,” she said. “I detest it. It makes me feel small. Mera ek naam hai, mera ek astitva hai (I have a name, I have an identity). People assume my life is easy because my husband is famous, but that’s far from the truth. Trying to build your own career while being attached to someone well-known is incredibly difficult.”
Patralekhaa urged the media to acknowledge the individual struggles of people in her position. “It takes a lot of hard work. I’ll never be comfortable with being reduced to someone’s wife. I’ll keep fighting this label till the day I die,” she asserted.
She also revealed how often she’s approached not for roles, but as a link to Rajkummar. “People bring me scripts not because they want me—but because they want him. And it becomes obvious. I’m just the bait so they can reach Raj.”
Patralekhaa and Rajkummar tied the knot in 2021 after dating for over a decade. While Rajkummar was instantly smitten after seeing her in an advertisement, Patralekhaa initially found him “weird” after watching him in Love Sex Aur Dhokha. Despite their different first impressions, the couple shares a deep bond and frequently posts glimpses of their life together on social media.
What’s next for the couple?
Patralekhaa was recently seen in Phule, a biographical drama based on Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, directed by Anant Mahadevan. The film also stars Pratik Gandhi, Vinay Pathak, and Sushil Pandey.
Rajkummar Rao, meanwhile, is gearing up for the release of Bhool Chuk Maaf, a science-fiction romantic comedy directed by Karan Sharma. Co-starring Seema Pahwa and Wamiqa Gabbi, the film skips its planned theatrical release due to current geopolitical tensions and will now stream on Prime Video from May 16.