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

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.