In 2002, Kapadia portrayed the title role in the drama "Leela", an American production that was directed by Somnath Sen and co-stars Deepti Naval, Vinod Khanna and Amol Mhatre. Kapadia's part, which was written specially for her, is that of a forty-year-old, married Mumbai University professor who, after the death of her mother, loses her sense of happiness and takes a job as a visiting professor of South Asian studies in California. The story follows Leela's acclimation to her new surroundings and her relationship with a young Indian-American man named Kris (Mhatre), one of her students. Kapadia was nervous during the making of the film but believed the tension helped elevate her acting. The film was reviewed favourably by American critics, among whom Maitland McDonagh from "TV Guide" wrote: "Dimple Kapadia shines in this family melodrama ... intelligent, nuanced performance is the film's highlight". Reviews in India were similarly approving of "Leela" and Kapadia's work.