Long before she became a familiar face in Hindi cinema, Nushrratt Bharuccha came close to stepping onto an international stage in one of the most acclaimed films of its time. She was in the running for the role of Latika in Slumdog Millionaire, the 2008 Oscar-winning drama that propelled Freida Pinto to fame. But to her surprise, the reason she was eventually not chosen had little to do with her acting skills and everything to do with her appearance. She was told, quite unexpectedly, that she was “too pretty” for the role.
Reflecting on the moment in a recent interview, Nushrratt admitted that she was initially bewildered by the feedback. Hearing it over the phone, she struggled to make sense of the reasoning, especially coming from a team operating on such a prestigious international project. Still, she chose to respond with grace, assuming the casting team had a vision she perhaps couldn’t yet understand. The rejection was difficult to process, not because of ego, but because the logic behind it felt elusive.
It was only later, after watching the film, that things began to make more sense. The narrative arc, which follows a young girl from the gritty realities of a Mumbai slum to adulthood, required a transformation that needed to feel organic. Nushrratt Bharuccha acknowledged that the portrayal of Latika across different ages had to be believable, and in hindsight, she felt the casting was well-aligned with the story’s tone. Looking at the younger versions of the character, she understood why the filmmakers felt her look might disrupt the film’s realism.
While missing out on Slumdog Millionaire may have seemed like a lost opportunity at the time, Nushrratt has since carved out a space for herself in the Indian film industry, known for her roles in films like Pyaar Ka Punchnama, Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, and Chhorii. Her journey, marked by a mix of near-misses and breakthrough hits, continues to evolve—proving that sometimes, the right role comes not just at the right time, but with the right reason.
