Actor Sarwat Gilani has publicly addressed her difficult experience during the promotional campaign for the film Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 (JPNA 2), citing a lack of professional respect from the production team.
In a frank discussion on Maliha Rehman’s show, Gilani expressed her disappointment with the conduct of Humayun Saeed’s production team, stating that the way she was treated after the film’s completion was deeply hurtful.
The actor, who played the memorable role of Gul in the franchise, confirmed she has no intention of returning for the upcoming third installment. She clarified that while she shares a warm and respectful relationship with director Nadeem Baig and co-stars, her overall experience with the production side was negative.
“Nowadays I am running away from Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 3,” Gilani admitted. “I love Nadeem Baig, Humayun Saeed, and Ahmed Ali Butt. But I can’t work with a team that doesn’t value relationships once their project is over.”
She detailed a specific incident during the promotions for the second film, where she was excluded from the team’s trip to London. Despite having made her own travel arrangements, she felt deliberately sidelined.
“They were going to London for promotions and didn’t even confirm my travel details. It felt like they used me when they needed me and then threw me away afterwards,” she stated. Gilani added that while she could have traveled independently, she chose not to after being ignored, an omission that she found deeply disrespectful to her dignity.
The actor revealed that the disappointment was compounded by the fact that she had been persuaded to reprise her role for the sequel despite initial reservations. “They convinced me to do Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 even though I didn’t want to. They cut my scenes in the first film and repeated that pattern again in the sequel. If you can’t respect the actor and the character, then what’s the point of working together?”
Emphasizing that self-respect takes precedence over professional opportunities, Gilani concluded, “Once you can fool me, but not always. I love that team, but I will not let myself be used again.”
Despite her candid revelations, Gilani maintained that she holds no personal grudges, stating that the experience served as a lesson in establishing professional boundaries and demanding mutual respect.
