What challenges did you face while casting for Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai?
Casting has a lot of challenges with the OTT boom. A lot of pressure is created as the directors and writers are in tune with the kind of talent they want in each character they sketch. It is still easier to find the primary cast than to find and fit a local cast. The local artist is usually not someone who works regularly, so it is extremely laborious to get them to capture the nuances of their characters, involve them in workshops, dress them up to fit the characters. There is neither demand nor emphasis on taking any big face from Bollywood for any show or film on OTT. If we look at the current situation, the big stars are not able to maintain proper coordination with the audience. It’s not about how big the screen is anymore. Now it is more about how impactful and strong the content and story is. In true sense, content is the king. If you have a great team and a great lead actor, even if he is a debutant, the project will work no matter what – take releases like Dahan and Yeh Kaali for example Kaali Aankhein,
How did you choose the character of Baba in Just Ek Banda Kofi Hai?
We took around 40-50 auditions for the character of Baba in Banda. After much struggle, we have finally found our “controversial” baba in Surya Mohan Kulshrestha, you will be surprised to know Lord Surya Not an actor and in fact a veteran theater director from Lucknow. I had Suriya ji’s name in my mind for quite some time, and after auditioning so many faces, I recommended Suriya ji’s name to the makers, and they just said one thing: Superb. After that, we did a look test and everything went well.
When you know exactly how you want your character to look and what are its qualities, your search for the right fit becomes even tougher because then you only want the perfect match for your character.
Many TV actors want to shift to OTT but most feel they don’t stand a chance due to their overexposure on the small screen. what do you feel?
I keep getting requests from many TV stars who now want to explore OTT. And to be honest, there is a lot of work available for everyone in the industry, especially with the big boom of OTT. Karan Tacker, Barun SobtiAsha Negi and Sargun Mehta All are from TV, but they have succeeded in making their place in the OTT sector as well. It is not that OTT show makers do not want to cast TV actors; This is a misconception. We audition every entry, be it a fresher or a TV actor, and see if it suits the respective roles or not. There are times when good and popular TV stars seem apt for a role written for an OTT show. You can’t really say that we don’t cast TV actors for OTT shows.
How has the casting process changed over the years?
The concept that a casting director’s popularity depends on how many actors are lined up outside his office is totally wrong and irrelevant today. Especially now in the post-Covid era, giving auditions has become even easier and more convenient. Gone are the days when actors used to queue for hours outside the casting director’s office waiting for their turn. Now actors send in audition tapes from the comfort of their homes.
Which has been the most challenging project to cast?
‘Daddy’ was a big challenge for me as a casting director. With that said, Dahan was extremely tough, and Asura 2 too. These dark black eyes were also not easy. I remember while casting for Daddy, the script called for some raw faces, and we decided to go to Dharavi to select talent from the residents. It was really difficult to make him understand the nuances and technicalities of acting, but we did it. We conducted workshops and then selected around 16-17 people from Dharavi slums.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors who often appear for auditions?
Sound training is a must for any aspiring actor. The actor must be well-versed in the process and must also have strong training. Manoj Bajpayee has always maintained that an actor should have formal training and a background in theatre. Theater creates and grooms a talent into a fine actor. The medium trains an actor well, disciplines them and introduces them to the entire nuances of the acting process. There are certain tools and essentials that are absolutely vital and essential for every aspiring actor. If you don’t have the bandwidth to enroll in an acting institute to learn all this, I would highly recommend that newcomer actors use YouTube. There are tons of tutorials out there that teach how to go about the whole acting process. At the end of the day, what matters is how driven you are, your persistence and your dedication towards your passion towards acting. The more you practice, the closer you will get to your goal.
How do you look back on your journey from casting director to producer?
I have a theater background and have acted in many plays in Delhi. But before coming to Mumbai, I got a chance to work as an assistant casting director and I just knew that this was my calling. I knew I would always be an actor, but casting was something I wanted to pursue as a career. Plus, casting and acting are parallel processes. You need to be a good actor to understand the acting skills of the auditioner and cast accordingly. It is very important to take the right decision.
By the grace of God, I got to do some wonderful work when my journey as a casting director started. But now, during the same workflow, I found that I have a good understanding of script, plot, screenplay etc. So I took a leap of faith and decided to become a producer.
I have produced three short films which are competing in various film festivals. Now we are looking at some big projects which I can talk about in near future.