Ridhi Dogra Reflects on Missed Opportunity in ‘Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi’ Audition

The actress shares how an early audition for a Yash Raj Films project shaped her perspective on the industry.

Ridhi Dogra, acclaimed for her performances in projects like Jawan, Tiger 3, and the recent web series Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs, recently opened up about a pivotal moment early in her acting career. In a conversation with Bollywood Bubble, Dogra recounted her audition experience for the 2008 film Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, which starred Shah Rukh Khan and marked Anushka Sharma’s debut.

At the onset of her acting journey, Dogra learned about auditions for a new Yash Raj Films project through a newspaper announcement. Familiar with Manish Sharma—then associated with the production house—through social gatherings, she reached out expressing her interest. “We had danced together at house parties,” she recalled. “I called him and said I wanted to test for this. He said, ‘Come.’ I had just started acting.”

During the audition, Dogra was given a scene from Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to perform. “It was a scene where Shah Rukh asks Kajol, ‘Ki tum shaadi kar logi kisise?’ I knew the scene by heart,” she said. Despite her familiarity with the material, she embraced the challenge.

Following the audition, Dogra was summoned to the office, where she anticipated rejection. Instead, she received encouraging feedback. “Manish sat down with me and said, ‘Ridhi, you’re very good. You’re a good actor; don’t feel rejected and don’t stop doing what you are doing. Aditya really liked you,'” she shared. He advised her to be her own case study in the industry—a piece of advice that left a lasting impression.

Reflecting on the experience, Dogra emphasized its significance in shaping her mindset. “That moment I came out of that office and I saw Aditya Chopra right in front of me, crossed him in slow motion and went out of there, and it was plastered in my head. I am my own case study,” she said.

While Dogra did not secure a role in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, she later shared the screen with Shah Rukh Khan in Jawan. Currently, she stars as Kavya Raisinggh in Kull: The Legacy of the Raisingghs, a psychological thriller streaming on JioHotstar. The series delves into the dark secrets of a royal family, with Dogra’s character navigating the complexities of legacy and power .