Ishaan Khatter reveals how an audition tape landed him a cameo in a Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep starrer sci-fi movie.

Bollywood heartthrob Ishaan Khatter is having a dream run with his back-to-back western projects, including A Suitable Boy, and more recently in 2024’s Netflix miniseries The Perfect Couple.

While the 29-year-old made his theatrical debut with the critically acclaimed film Beyond the Clouds in 2017, it didn’t take him much time to expand his wings on a broader horizon. Soon, in 2020, he starred in the British television drama miniseries, A Suitable Boy, based on Vikram Seth’s 1993 novel of the same name. Ace director Mira Nair directed the BBC One project after Andrew Davies adapted it into a screenplay.

However, it was not the end of the occidental projects for the young actor, who soon found a role – albeit a cameo – in the Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio starrer Don’t Look Up (2021). However, Khatter said, the role, as impromptu as it looked, was just his audition tape. Moreover, his love story with audition tapes (read self tapes) does not end here, as he admitted that he got his role in The Perfect Couple in a similar way.

Ishan Khatter reveals he received his Hollywood role through an audition tape

During a candid interview with The Nod Mag, Ishan Khatter opened up about the unconventional way he landed his role in Netflix’s The Perfect Couple. The talented actor revealed that he got the role of Shooter Dival in the mystery drama miniseries through a “self-tape” as he had no one else to run into. He revealed,

Ishaan Khatter in a still from The Perfect Couple | Credit: Netflix

I got The Perfect Couple with a self-tape. It was a meaty part, one I really wanted to go after. In the books, the character is Caucasian—the Shooter Dival you see on screen was Susanne’s [Bier, the show’s director] interpretation of it.

He explained further that since he was all alone, he had to make the clip using a voice memo, that also on the day of the deadline. Khatter added that since he had no one to run lines with, he simply used technology to play off his “own voice on a voice memo.” This stance, in return, helped him bag the coveted role.

While it was Khatter’s agent who somewhat inspired him to take up roles in projects beyond Bollywood, it was the Pippa actor’s audition tape that landed him a role in Don’t Look Up. The multi-starrer boasts of a stellar star-cast including Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, among others. Khatter continued,

Funny story. My cameo in Don’t Look Up? That’s actually my audition tape! You can even see my phone charger in the background.

Well, phone charger or not, Khatter’s audition tape did its work, as he was able to share screen with the Hollywood greats like DiCaprio and Streep.

All you need to know about Ishan Khatter’s ‘little cameo’

While Khatter shared screen with the Hollywood greats like Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, and DiCaprio, he didn’t miss the opportunity to fanboy over his interesting cameo. In an Instagram post from 2021, the Bollywood actor gushed about appearing in the same montage as the Mamma Mia! star and the Titanic actor.

Ishaan Khatter in a snap from his cameo at Don’t Look Up | Credit: Instagram/@ishaankhatter

Sharing the clip, he even wrote,

So cool to do this little cameo and be in the same montage as the GOAT Meryl Streep and genius Leo ⛄️☄️⬆️

In the short clip, Khatter played the role of a vlogger who shared his opinion after Streep’s character said cryptically, “They think they are better than us.” Don’t Look Up is a comedy science fiction film where two astronomers, upon realizing Earth is in trouble due to a fast approaching comet, take up the job of warning mankind of the peril.

In The Perfect Couple, Khatter took up the role of Shooter Dival, who was the best friend of Billy Howle’s Benji Winbury. The miniseries is based on the story of a couple on the verge of a wedding, when a surprise death derails the plan and turns everyone into a suspect.

The Perfect Couple and Don’t Look Up are currently available to stream in the US on Netflix.