Diana Penty recalls losing out on Nargis Fakhri's role in Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar with Ranbir Kapoor: 'I was kind of relieved because...'

Diana Penty may have made a successful Bollywood debut with the hit film Cocktail, but her journey to the silver screen almost began with a very different project. In a recent interview, the actor opened up about nearly landing the lead role opposite Ranbir Kapoor in Imtiaz Ali’s Rockstar—a part that eventually went to Nargis Fakhri.

Reflecting on the missed opportunity, Diana shared her early struggles with confidence, the workshops she attended for the film, and how that experience unexpectedly paved the way for her big break.Recalling how her journey into films began, Diana shared with Hauterfly that her first brush with Bollywood came while she was still modelling in New York. In an interview with Hauterrfly, she revealed that her agency informed her about filmmaker Imtiaz Ali looking for a new face for Rockstar.

Although acting was never part of her plan and she had no formal training, Diana flew back to India for the meeting. She remembered being struck by how warm and kind Imtiaz was, even though she lacked the confidence at the time to see herself as an actor.The actress recalled that during her meeting with Imtiaz Ali, he was warm and encouraging, putting her at ease and allowing her to speak openly. When he explained the character and asked her to do look tests, Diana admitted she had no acting background and wasn’t confident she could do justice to the role.

Despite her hesitation, Imtiaz encouraged her to attend workshops, assuring her that he would decide on her casting after observing her over the next 2–3 weeks.She even went on to share that after 2–3 weeks of workshops, Imtiaz Ali gently told her that while she had made noticeable progress, he still felt she wasn’t quite ready to take on the role in Rockstar, especially with the shoot just a month away. He felt it might be too soon for her.

Surprisingly, Diana admitted feeling somewhat relieved, as she herself lacked confidence at the time. She then returned to New York and resumed her modelling career.A year later, Diana received a call informing her that producer Dinesh Vijan was looking for a new face for an upcoming film. To her surprise, the script was written by Imtiaz Ali, who remembered her from the Rockstar workshops and felt she would be perfect for the role of Meera in Cocktail.

Diana recalled auditioning for the part and getting a confirmation call within just 24 hours—marking the beginning of her acting journey with her debut in Cocktail.The lead role in Rockstar eventually went to Nargis Fakhri. Meanwhile, Cocktail—a romantic comedy directed by Homi Adajania—featured Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone in lead roles alongside Diana Penty. The film also starred Dimple Kapadia, Boman Irani, and Randeep Hooda in key roles. Cocktail turned out to be a major box office hit, grossing Rs 121.78 crore worldwide.