Dimple Kapadia: Didn't want to audition out of fear of rejection

Christopher Nolan and Dimple Kapadia

Holding her own in the all-star cast of Christopher Nolan's Tenet, Dimple Kapadia showed again why she is counted among the finest of her generation. Shortly after Nolan had announced the project in May 2019, Kapadia's talent manager Purvi Lavingia Vats had told mid-day that convincing the actor for the screen test wasn't easy.

Cut to over a year later: the actor, 63, is sitting pretty with an envy-inducing Hollywood biggie on her résumé and the strength of having overcome her mental block against screen tests. "Auditioning has nothing to do with an actor's faith in his calibre. My first reaction was 'I don't do auditions'. It was frightening because I had never done one before. In hindsight, I am glad I finally did the screen test. It was a mental block that stemmed from my insecurities and fear of rejection, and I needed to overcome it," admits Kapadia.

A still from Tenet

Given her prolific four-decade career, one would assume she doesn't harbour such fears. "Oh, but the fear of rejection hasn't left me till date. My heart beats faster every time I am in front of the camera," she cuts in, adding that anxiety is a crucial part of acting. "An actor's job is to pull something from deep within him/her."

As an ardent admirer of Nolan's works, Kapadia naturally wanted to be part of the auteur's magic on screen. But she admits that she didn't "want the pressure" of vying for a film. So, she did the next best thing. "I treated it like a picnic. Let's go and get a picture with him [Nolan]. After the audition, I went home, knowing that they will call to say, 'Aapko part nahin de rahe hain'. It was a stroke of good fortune that I not only landed the film, but also had an amazing experience working on it. Nolan is so friendly and unassuming. There was so much warmth."

The Chicago Times review described her as a scene-stealer in the film. A Nolan project can be a stepping stone to better roles for Indian artistes in prominent international movies - not to mention, bigger offers for her. "I have never planned my life. I am a living example of how the universe sends gifts your way. As far as more offers are concerned, I get satisfied easily. I am perpetually rusty, but some great work is coming my way, and that's charging me up!"

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