Published By: Sayan Paul

Birthday Special: Triptii Dimri Was Initially Rejected For 'Laila Majnu' - Know Why

Triptii Dimri had her breakthrough in 2018 with the romantic drama, 'Laila Majnu'. But do you know she was rejected in the first audition?

Pre-'Animal' Triptii Dimri was quite different compared to what we see post-'Animal' (after she became a National Crush). Especially, if we go back to 'Laila Majnu', her breakthrough film, she was far from the typical Bollywood heroine that she is now (not saying "Bollywood heroine" in any negative light - stardom is great). At that time, she was more inclined towards playing characters with depth. In that 2018 romantic drama, she played a young woman in love, portraying all the layers, nuances, and complexity effortlessly. And her chemistry with co-star Avinash Tiwary felt incredibly organic and captivating, leaving a lasting impact on our minds.

Triptii Dimri and Avinash Tiwary in ‘Laila Majnu’

'Laila Majnu' earned Triptii acclaim from the audiences and critics alike - but that was only the beginning. With films such as 'Bulbbul' and 'Qala', she challenged the conventional norms of Bollywood, becoming a favorite of many. Then of course 'Animal' happened and the rest is history!

(Credit: Triptii Dimri)

But do you ever wonder what Triptii's journey was like before 'Laila Majnu'? Today, on her 30th birthday, let's learn an interesting fact about her that you didn't know.

Triptii Dimri Was Initially Rejected For 'Laila Majnu'

Triptii came to Mumbai during early-to-mid 2010s, and started auditioning for roles. However, being an outsider, she found it difficult to secure a proper role for quite some time. In 2017, she made her big-screen debut as an extra in 'Mom' (Sridevi's final film), and had her first major role in Shreyas Talpade's directorial debut, 'Poster Boys', starring Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, and Talpade in lead roles.

Meanwhile, she auditioned for several films for the lead roles but very little worked in her favor. In 2016, she auditioned for 'Laila Majnu', but was rejected. However, destiny took her back to the film later - and eventually, she became Laila.

In an interview with Hindustan Times in 2018, the actress shared, "I had auditioned for the film in 2016 but I got rejected at that time. In 2017, I moved to Bombay and I got the script again and told my agency that there is no point in trying it again as I was already rejected. One day, I was auditioning for some other thing and my friend was auditioning for Laila Majnu. She asked me to come with her so that we could leave together. While I was waiting, the guy who was taking the audition said, ‘Why don’t you give it a try’. I said okay and I did it again. The next day, I met Sajid sir, and we did another audition which lasted for 7-8 hours."


(Credit: Zee Music Company)

The Hardships Triptii Faced During 'Laila Majnu' Shooting

Initially, Triptii had no passion for acting and wanted to just give it a try. In her words, "I just wanted to do something different. I was never academically good. I told my parents I was going to give it a try."

As she was not a seasoned actress, Triptii found it extremely difficult during the initial phase of the 'Laila Majnu' shooting. As she shared in an interview with Republic World, "Even then, I didn’t know acting. I would sit in workshops with my director Sajid Ali and (co-star) Avinash Tiwary, and they would have discussions on acting, backstory, and characterizations. I would just sit there, blank-faced, not knowing anything. I would go home and cry, thinking, 'Am I doing the right thing?' because I didn’t understand what they were saying or their language."

(Credit: Bollywood Celebrity News)

'Laila Majnu' failed at the box office but was critically acclaimed. With time, it gained a cult status for its story, soundtrack, and cast performances. Recently, the film was re-released all over India - and this time, it worked well commercially.