Did you know Usha Nadkarni once refused to audition for Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy; said, 'Mera naam daalkar dekh computer mein'

She revealed a similar experience when she was approached to audition for Gully Boy (2019), a film which eventually became one of the biggest hits of the year.

Veteran actor Usha Nadkarni, widely recognised for her powerful portrayal of Savita Deshmukh in Pavitra Rishta, spoke about the growing demand for auditions in the industry and why she once turned down the chance to audition for Zoya Akhtar’s acclaimed film Gully Boy.

Speaking to Pinkvilla, the 78-year-old actor expressed her displeasure at the increasing expectation that even seasoned performers should audition for roles. Sharing an incident, she said she was surprised when a production house asked her to come in for an audition. “They asked me, ‘Do you want the role? Then come to our office and give an audition.’ I asked them, ‘What have I done in 78 years that you are asking me to come and give an audition?’” Usha Nadkarni recalled.

She revealed a similar experience when she was approached to audition for Gully Boy (2019), a film which eventually became one of the biggest hits of the year. Recalling the conversation, she said, “Ek ladke ka call aaya, usne kaha audition dene aajao, maine kaha bete teri umar kya hai? Usne kaha 25 saal. Maine kaha jab teri maa ki shaadi nahi hui thi naa uss time se kaam kar rahi hun main. Yeh sab faaltu kaam nahi karti main audition dene ke. Maine pucha director kaun hai, unhone bataya Zoya Akhtar, maine kaha voh toh bada baap ki beti hai naa… mera kaam dekh computer pe naam daalke mera.”

Usha Nadkarni emphasised that at this stage in her decades-long career, her body of work should speak for itself. She pointed out how her experience with Akshay Kumar and Ileana D’Cruz’s Rustom was far more respectful. According to her, the team simply briefed her about the role and finalised her without any formal audition. She said she felt valued even though her role in the film was small.

Gully Boy, directed by Zoya Akhtar and written along with Reema Kagti, was inspired by the lives of street rappers DIVINE and Naezy. Featuring Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Kalki Koechlin, Vijay Varma and Amruta Subhash, the film went on to collect Rs 235.7 crore worldwide and received widespread critical acclaim.

Across her illustrious career, Usha Nadkarni has worked in notable Hindi and Marathi films such as Tu Chor Main Sipahi, Gundaraj, R... Rajkumar, and Bhoothnath Returns. On television, she became a household name through shows like Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan, Pavitra Rishta, Madhubala – Ek Ishq Ek Junoon, and also appeared as a contestant on Bigg Boss Marathi.