In a surprising revelation, Bollywood actress and former Miss Universe India Urvashi Rautela has disclosed that she turned down the lead role in the 2012 Yash Raj Films production, Ishaqzaade, which eventually became a career-defining movie for Parineeti Chopra and Arjun Kapoor. Rautela shared this during an interview with Hauterrfly, claiming she passed on the opportunity to focus on her Miss Universe ambitions.
Comparing the rigorous preparation for beauty pageants to the discipline required for the Olympics, Rautela highlighted the challenges that influenced her decision. “When you prepare for beauty pageants, it’s equivalent to an athlete preparing for the Olympics. You have to control your diet, maintain strict exercise routines, and perfect various forms of walking,” she explained.
Rautela further elaborated on her decision to decline the film. “In fact, I had to let go of Yash Raj Films because I wanted to go for Miss Universe,” she said. The former beauty queen revealed that Ishaqzaade was supposed to mark her Bollywood debut, but her focus on competing in Miss Universe made her prioritize the pageant over her film career at the time.
“For a film called Ishaqzaade, that was supposed to be my debut. But since childhood, this was my focus, and I really wanted to prepare for it. Obviously, every girl has a different format—after winning, Bollywood becomes the main focus for most. But in my case, it was never like that,” Rautela shared, explaining her unique approach to balancing her aspirations.
When asked if she had ever discussed this decision with Parineeti Chopra, Rautela admitted they had never spoken about it. “No, we haven’t talked about it, but it’s good. Everyone’s fate is written differently by God,” she said.
Released in May 2012, Ishaqzaade is a romantic thriller directed by Habib Faisal and produced by Aditya Chopra. The film starred Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, with supporting roles played by Gauahar Khan and Natasha Rastogi. The film was a commercial success and earned critical acclaim, receiving three nominations at the 58th Filmfare Awards, including Best Actress for Parineeti Chopra and Best Male Debut for Arjun Kapoor.