Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha's love story: How ‘The White Tiger’ actor went from 4 am friend to boyfriend
“Love must face reality... If it is to survive.” One adorable couple from the Indian cinema industry sure do know what it means to hold to their love. Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha Paul have been going strong for over ten years and their ever-lasting bond is built over little memories of mutual admiration.
Four years ago, when I first spoke to Patralekha during the release of her film, she gushed about her relationship with Rajkummar Rao. In one of her earlier interviews, she called him her “4 am friend, my best-friend first and then my boyfriend.” Months later, rumors swirled around that there was trouble in their paradise and the two had had an ugly spat in their building lobby.
‘I’m going be a little discreet about us’
Quashing all those gossipmongers, Patralekha exclusively spoke to me and strongly denied the news, saying, “Honestly, I had thought that it’s all okay in the industry talking about your relationship. But now that I’m spending more time in the industry, I realize why actors and actresses don’t like talking about it… It’s because people get at a point where it shouldn’t.”
“This is not cool. Whoever likes it, they say we have broken up or we had a big fight. It creates more tension amongst us,” she disclosed. “So, from now onwards, I’m going be a little discreet about us.” As Rajkummar shines on the silver screen opposite Priyanka Chopra in ‘The White Tiger’, let's take a look at their relationship.
‘I’m going to marry her’
How did the two first meet? “I saw him for the first time in LSD. I thought the weird guy he played was actually what he was like. My perception of him was tarnished! He told me later, that he first saw me in an ad & thought, ‘I’m going to marry her.’ It was so ironic!” Patralekha, 30 — known for her stints in films like ‘City Lights’ and ‘Love Games’ — confessed in an interview with Humans of Bombay.
Shedding light on how their bond strengthened, she added, “Once we began working together – it was magic. The kind of passion he had was powerful & I couldn’t respect him any more than I did then! We spoke about our work, love for cinema, passions… I saw him through his struggles, never giving up. How could we not fall for each other? We didn’t officially go on dates, but we’d go for drives, movies, or just sit at home. We accompanied each other for auditions, just for support. All we needed was that understanding.”
The little and big things
Diving deep into how Rajkummar would often go out of the way for her, Patralekha added, “Once he was late to see me, so he ran all the way from the airport to Juhu! Not only that, but when we weren’t earning much, he gifted me my favorite bag – it was so expensive! Years later, someone stole it in London! I called him, sobbing – for me, it was about the memories. He’d bought it for me when he didn’t have much. Later, at our hotel, the exact same bag was waiting for me.”
“These little things make me realize how lucky I am for him. And the best part is, he always says he’s the lucky one. Isn’t that what a relationship needs? To remind each other how grateful we are? He told me once that after I met his mom, she said, ‘I have a feeling she’s the last one I’m meeting.’ She was right – we’ve been together for 8 years,” she said at the time.
‘We’re equals’
“We’re equals – when an article said, ‘Rajkumar with his girlfriend, Patralekhaa’, he retweeted – ‘Patralekhaa with her boyfriend Rajkumar.’ I can tell you this, when you find the one–through the fights, hurdles & chaos, you should never forget to let them know you love them. It doesn’t have to be with expensive gifts & dates – it can simply be with the way you hold them while they need it & when they don’t. For us, we don’t know what the future holds, but this, being together, is enough.”
A fair share of challenges
The pair — who first started dating back in 2010 after starring in Hansal Mehta's film together — have often said that wedding bells aren't ringing anytime soon but marriage is definitely on the cards. Even for the perfect couple, their relationship doesn't come without challenges.
“In the last couple of years of dating each other, we’ve met our fair share of challenges, but I think the biggest test has only come this year. There’s no room for space in our relationship. Literally,” Patralekha said in an Instagram post during the COVID-19 pandemic.
‘I wish I could meet this girl one day’
“But even in 2020, Love Found A Way. Who knew stepping out of your comfort zone could be so comfortable? We’ve found all these new moments now, new dates, new conversations because our world can now fit into an apartment. So 2020, you’ve been difficult, but dating firsts have found a way through laundry detergent, giving Gaga a haircut and arguing about whose turn is it to cook,” she added.
Meanwhile, Rajkummar spilled his feelings for her in a post, saying, “I still remember seeing you in an advertisement and wondering, ‘I wish I could meet this girl one day.’ And as destiny or the universe would have it, much to my desire, I met you a month later. It has been so many years of togetherness, and yet, it feels like we’ve just met. You are the prettiest and the strongest girl I’ve met. Let’s create many more wonderful memories together.”