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Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh, who appeared in a string of popular movies around a decade ago before being derailed, said that he still messages people to ask them for work. In an interview, Neil said that he has become friends with the idea of struggle, and that casting directors he personally knows have been ghosting him for years. He said that all he can do is remind people that he’s around and hungry for the right opportunity. Neil is known for films such as Johnny Gaddaar, Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo, and Saaho.
In an interview with Hindi Rush, Neil alluded to his difficulties, and said, “Just because Neil can’t guarantee you monetary returns doesn’t mean he isn’t capable of delivering a hit. Once an acclaimed actor will always remain… The sun may set, but it always rises the next day. All that matters is the right people backing you, the right showcasing, the right role. A hit film depends on so many different factors.”
Neil said that even though he has been working for two decades, he has to restart the process of finding work after every film. “I still message people, asking for work. They’ll reply immediately and say, ‘Yes Neil, we’ll keep you in mind if something comes up’. It is my duty to remind them that I exist. When I debuted, there would perhaps be a couple of newcomers launched in two or three years. But now, a newcomer is launched every other week,” he said.
He said that he has now been reduced to ‘an option’, along with hundreds of others. Asked why he hasn’t approached his cousin, noted casting director Shanoo Sharma, for work, he said, “I love my sister to death, I’ve grown up with her. I idolise her because it’s a tough profession to become a brand in. She’s at YRF, and that’s my home. Aditya Chopra is my guru. I have to respect the work that she has done to become who she is. I can’t call her up and ask for favours. I’ve worked with YRF thrice, and if they feel I’m right for a part, they will call me.”
Neil said that he has 30 films under his belt, and has worked with some of the best directors in the country, and yet, the struggle never ends. “You have to strike a balance. You have to be visible, but not too visible. Perhaps my skin tone doesn’t suit the kind of films being made today. Who knows what casting directors are thinking? It hurts, but I’ve become friends with the idea of struggle…”
Neil said that he is still waiting for opportunities, and claimed that nobody that he has worked with in the past can have any complaints about his professionalism. “It’s not that casting directors don’t want to give me work. Of course they’d want to do something for me if I’m persistently calling them. I consider Mukesh Chhabra my brother, but I’ve never worked with him. I haven’t accepted defeat, either. All I have to do is remind him that I exist; he’s a busy person, after all. He has options. He has a business to run. You have to put your ego aside and ask, ‘Sorry I’m disturbing you, but if you have anything for me, please let me know’.”
Neil said that there is no harm in meeting people even when you don’t want work out of them. “There is one casting director who has been keeping me in the lurch for two years. Every other week he says let’s meet, but then cancels. It’s not like I can’t call directors up directly, but I like to follow protocols,” Neil said. The actor was recently seen alongside R Madhavan in the ZEE5 film Hisaab Barabar.
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