Neena Gupta Recalls Failing Audition For Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, Asks Dimple How She Got The Role
Neena Gupta recently opened up about her audition experience for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, the big-budget 2020 film that marked Dimple Kapadia’s Hollywood debut. Speaking candidly on Kareena Kapoor’s What Women Want podcast for Mirchi Plus, Neena shared how she flew to Los Angeles to audition for the role that eventually went to Dimple Kapadia, despite having made it to the shortlist.
Neena revealed that she first recorded an audition tape in India, which was well received by Nolan’s team. “He selected me, along with four other ladies,” she said. However, despite the initial success, the role ultimately went to Dimple. Neena joked about her repeated struggles with auditions, noting, “I always fail in auditions. If they don’t take my audition, I ace it, but whenever they do, I get rejected.” Reflecting on her disappointment, she added, “It is the director’s image of the character. You can’t do anything about it.”
The actress made peace with the rejection, humorously recalling her thought process: “I thought I will ask Dimple, ‘Tu toh waha gayi bhi nahi’ (You didn’t even go there).”
Dimple Kapadia, who played the enigmatic character Priya in Tenet, had a fascinating story behind landing the role. In previous interviews, Dimple shared her surprise at being approached by Christopher Nolan. “I got a call for an audition, which I thought was a prank call. Why would Christopher Nolan want me for this film?” she recalled. Despite her scepticism, Dimple decided to send an audition tape and was later requested to meet Nolan in India. Although she didn’t expect to land the role, she went ahead with the meeting and even hoped for a photo with the director. “When I got the part, I was nervous,” Dimple admitted, adding, “I told my mother, ‘Mom, your daughter is working with one of the biggest directors in the world.’”
Christopher Nolan, who directed Tenet, spoke highly of Dimple’s performance in a conversation with her daughter, Twinkle Khanna. He praised her charisma, poise, and depth of experience, which he felt brought an added dimension to the character. Nolan noted, “Her skill and charisma were immediately apparent, and it was very much what I wanted for that character.”
Tenet, despite releasing during the pandemic, became a global success, grossing Rs 2220 crore worldwide. Dimple’s performance earned positive reviews, and she later starred in major films like Pathaan, Brahmastra Part One: Shiva, and the web series Tandav. Neena Gupta, meanwhile, has enjoyed a career resurgence with projects like Panchayat and Badhaai Ho, along with her recent film Kaagaz 2.
