Diana Penty REVEALS Why Imtiaz Ali Dropped Her From Rockstar Opposite Ranbir Kapoor: 'He Felt...'
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Diana Penty recalls losing out on Rockstar after 2–3 weeks of workshops with Imtiaz Ali, only to land Cocktail a year later—thanks to his memory and her steady growth.
Before she became a household name with Cocktail, Bollywood actor Diana Penty was just another promising model, building her career on global runways. But few know that she was once close to debuting in Imtiaz Ali's Rockstar opposite Ranbir Kapoor—until the opportunity slipped away.
In a recent candid chat with Hauterrfly, Diana opened up about that brief, almost-there brush with the big screen. 'I was in New York modelling when my agency called to say Imtiaz Ali was looking for a fresh face for his next film, Rockstar. Honestly, acting wasn't even on my radar back then. I hadn't taken any formal training. I didn't think I had it in me," she admitted.
Despite her initial hesitation, Diana flew down to India to meet the Jab We Met director. She was instantly taken by his warmth. 'He made me feel really comfortable, and during our first meeting, I could just be myself," she shared.
Soon after, Imtiaz asked her to join acting workshops. Diana dove in, pushing her limits. But after a few weeks, she got the call. 'He said, 'You've come a long way and shown great improvement, but I still don't think you're ready to play this character.'" She wasn't entirely disappointed. 'I think deep down, I felt a sense of relief. I wasn't confident yet," she said, reflecting on the rejection with surprising calm.
Diana returned to New York and resumed modelling—until fate circled back.
'A year later, I got a call saying Dinesh Vijan was looking for a new face for a film called Cocktail. And guess what? It was written by Imtiaz Ali. He remembered me and thought I'd be perfect for Meera's character," she revealed. Within 24 hours of her audition, Diana was confirmed for the role—and the rest is history.
Rockstar eventually went to Nargis Fakhri and became a cult hit, while Cocktail, starring Saif Ali Khan and Deepika Padukone, turned Diana into an overnight star. The film grossed over ₹120 crore globally and cemented her place in the industry.
Now, Diana returns to the screen in Detective Sherdil, a quirky whodunit currently streaming on ZEE5. Directed by Ravi Chhabriya, the film features an ensemble cast including Diljit Dosanjh, Boman Irani, Banita Sandhu, and Chunky Panday.
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