Tandon didn't even know about the honour until she got a midnight call from Anil Kapoor, who played an important part in the Danny Boyle's rags to riches drama, in Los Angeles.
"He asked me if I had seen it. I asked, seen what? He then told me I'm on the cover of Variety magazine as an achiever of the year. The last issue had featured my favourite actress Meryl Streep. He (Anil) said he had bought two copies and was mailing me one. That was honestly sweet of him, " Tandon told.
Interestingly, Tandon's name occurs in the 'Below The Liners' section of Variety's achievers where she features with fashion designers Catherine Marie Thomas and Janie Bryant.
"I think it's a category that celebrates women who have crossed over from one field to another, like I did from casting director to co-director in 'Slumdog Millionaire', " she explained.
Tandon will not be able to attend the Variety awards ceremony next Thursday. She's off to meet the Queen Of England and her husband the Duke of Edinburgh.
"Yes, I've been invited by Queen Elizabeth and the Duke to the Buckingham Palace on October 13. I wouldn't miss that appointment for the world."
But there's a problem. Her younger sister Amita is getting married on Oct 14.
"I don't want to go to London now when the wedding celebrations are on full-swing in our family. But my sister is pushing me into it. She feels it's a once-in-a-lifetime honour and I shouldn't miss it. So I'm going, attending the invitation on 13th October and rushing back to Delhi just in time for the wedding, " said Tandon.
She has almost finished the script for her first directorial undertaking. "Of course, it's got strong women characters. But it has a lot of powerful men characters as well."