Neha Dhupia has revealed that she turned down two major projects, Shah Rukh Khan’s Chak De India and the series Operation Safed SagarThe actor said she always wanted to explore sports and military films but now regrets missing out on both opportunities.
Published: October 17, 2026, 12:08 PM IST
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Neha Dhupia (PC- Instagram) (1)
Looking back at her career, Neha Dhupia has opened up about two projects she wishes she had taken upThe actor revealed that she turned down Shah Rukh Khan’s 2007 sports drama Chak De India and the series Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil WarShe said both projects belonged to genres she had always wanted to explore. Neha spoke about the missed opportunities during a board game session on her chat show Double DateReflecting on her decisions, she admitted that the two projects have stayed with her over the years.
“Sometimes, when you look back at the opportunities you turned down, you realise what you may have missedChak De India and Operation Safed Sagar were two such opportunities that stayed with meI always wanted to do a good sports film, a good military film, but have missed these two big opportunities,” she said.
Released in 2007, Chak De India was produced by Yash Raj Films and starred Shah Rukh Khan as Kabir Khan, a former captain of the Indian men’s hockey team who becomes the coach of the women’s national hockey team. The sports drama also featured Vidya Malavade, Shilpa Shukla, Sagarika Ghatge and Chitrashi Rawat, among othersThe film went on to become one of Shah Rukh Khan’s well-known performances.
Operation Safed Sagar: The Untold Story of the Kargil War is a 2026 Netflix series inspired by the Indian Air Force’s role in the 1999 Kargil WarThe six-episode series follows the Golden Arrows squadron and its pilots as they undertake dangerous combat missions during the conflict. The cast includes Siddharth, Jimmy Shergill, Abhay Verma, Dia Mirza and Adil Hussain, among others.
Neha made her Bollywood debut with Qayamat: City Under Threat in 2003She later appeared in films such as Julie, Kya Kool Hai Hum, Singh Is Kinng and Tumhari Sulu. Over the years, she has also worked across television and digital platforms. In May 2026, Neha launched Double Date, a celebrity chat show on YouTube that she hosts with her husband, Angad BediThe show brings celebrity couples together for conversations and games.
Guests on the show have included Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa, as well as Tejasswi Prakash and Karan KundrraNeha was also recently seen in Don’t Be Shy, a film produced by Alia Bhatt.
