‘Female friendships are such an important part of so many women’s lives, yet they remain surprisingly underexplored on screen.’
Key Points
- Patralekhaa’s new film Heer Sara is a girl-bonding road movie focused on friendship, healing, and self-discovery.
- She developed a strong friendship with Maanvi Gagroo during the shoot, mirroring the film’s theme of companionship.
- She is still navigating the balance between motherhood and her acting career, focusing on being present in each role.
There is much more to Patralekhaa than being Rajkummar Rao’s wife.
The fine actress has given memorable performances in Citylights and Phule, and now returns to the big screen after marriage and motherhood with Heer Sara, a girl-bonding road film.
She tells Subhash K Jha, “One of the most beautiful outcomes of this experience was my friendship with Maanvi Gagroo.”
‘We still don’t see enough stories where women are allowed to exist as individuals’
Your new film Heer Sara is a girl-bonding road movie. Was it fun to shoot?
Absolutely! It was one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had on a film set. While shooting a road film came with its own challenges, that’s also what made it so special.
The story is rooted in friendship, healing and self-discovery, and there was a real sense of freedom throughout the journey.
The film has two female heroes: Maanvi Gagroo and you.
One of the most beautiful outcomes of this experience was my friendship with Maanvi Gagroo. We started as co-actors and came away as friends, which felt very fitting for a film about companionship between two women.
I think that genuine comfort and trust found its way into our performances as well.
There are not enough films made about female heroes. Your thoughts on this.
I agree. While things are changing, we still don’t see enough stories where women are allowed to exist as individuals. Female characters are often defined by their relationships or storylines centred around romance.
What I loved about Heer Sara is that it moves away from those tropes and focuses on two women, their friendship, struggles, dreams and personal growth.
Female friendships are such an important part of so many women’s lives, yet they remain surprisingly underexplored on screen.
I’d love to see more stories that portray women with honesty, complexity and agency, allowing them to be at the centre of their own journeys.
‘Motherhood has been the most beautiful and transformative experience’
With a little baby, how do you balance home and work?
I’m still figuring it out every day. Motherhood has been the most beautiful and transformative experience, but it also comes with a lot of learning.
I’ve realised there is no perfect balance, I just try to be fully present wherever I am and give myself grace along the way.
‘One memory I’ll always cherish is learning how to ride a bike’
Did Heer Sara give you an opportunity to learn a new skill?
One memory I’ll always cherish is learning how to ride a bike. I had a genuine fear of two-wheelers because of a cycling accident I had as a child, so overcoming that felt like a personal victory.
I would wake up early and practice for hours before the shoot. Eventually, I even learned to ride a Harley-Davidson Fat Bob.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff