A new Picking order

“The casting scenario in the industry has changed for good. Previously, no one cared about casting directors. The concept didn’t exist. It was the assistant director who would arrange for random people as part of the supporting cast. Ek insaan ko driver bana do, kisiko bai bana diya. Things were all messed up and even the film-makers didn’t have the time to conduct formal auditions for a particular role. Then came a phase where cinema saw a change in the choice of genres and importance of characters saw a ride. Perfect casting became an integral part. I had just started out then and would often wonder why people were not taking this job seriously before?” mentioned casting director Mukesh Chhabra, best known for bringing together the perfect ensemble cast in Gangs of Wasseypur. Chhabra is currently busy finalising the cast of Vikas Bahl’s Shaandar starring Shahid Kapoor and Vikramaditya Motwane’s next starring Sidharth Malhotra among other films.
People like Chhabra, Mongia and several other casting directors have had theatre experience or have graduated from National School of Drama or Film and Television Institute of India. There is no formal training that one can go through to learn the tricks of becoming a casting director. One enhances their knowledge on the job and after gaining enough experience, they are confident enough to conduct workshops and impart lessons to newbies. After donning the hat of a casting head, today, they earn anywhere between Rs.2 lakh to 5.5 lakh for each film. With each film that helped them earn accolades for their perfect casting came credibility, which further pushed them to take this up as a career. Besides their background, in a way, helps them understand the struggle that most budding actors go through and thus, they have successfully become a bridge between the film-maker and the actor.

Cast right

Keeping the changing trends in mind, Rajkumar Hirani, who never hired a casting director for any of his films, opted for one while locking the cast of his forthcoming venture, P.K. During a recent event, he mentioned, “This is the first time I opted for a professional casting director. It’s difficult to both have a good eye and understand what the role is. Some random people just get you pretty faces, but that is not good casting. Mukesh has a great understanding of characters and I am very happy with the result.” Vijan adds that any good film is incomplete without the supporting cast and getting a good casting director on board is a nice option. “It can really make a difference. Even in my upcoming film, Lekar Hum Deewana Dil, we have tried every possible way to make sure that the supporting cast is as fresh and relatable as our lead pair. A good supporting cast may not necessarily need big names, but just the right artists who can do justice to the characters. That’s where professional casting helps.” The director finishes the script and calls me,” he explained.
A casting director is one of the first few members of the crew to come on board, much before the cinematographer or even the production designer. The entire script is handed over to them and after going through it a couple of times, they have a discussion with the director to understand the characters. Once done, the casting director then starts looking for options, short-listing people. If anyone fits the bill, they are asked to go through a set of auditions, that are shown to the director. Another round includes the actors auditioning in a group or pair. The director and production house then takes the final call, before the actor finally signs on the dotted lines. The overall process takes anywhere between two-three months, but bigger films might need eight-nine months or even a year. “The average period is always around two – six months for a decent budget film. The casting director usually comes on board at least two – three months before the team starts shooting,” quips Mongia.
But as is the case with most professions, the dark side of the casting department, famously known as the casting couch, continues to exist, even at a time when there are constant efforts to eradicate the wrong elements. But with most casting directors going the professional way, Mongia opines that the casting department will get better, as long as film-makers make independent films. Vijan tries to be optimistic. “Things have started changing only in the last few years and I believe, the process will keep becoming smoother and cleaner. With the right amount of focus in each
aspect, including casting, it is definitely a very good time to be working in this industry,” he concludes.

A different call

In the case of A-listers, there are no auditions and a call is taken only after the actor and film-maker go through several discussions. It is only when the former gives a green signal with bulk shooting dates that something works out. But several young stars, who already have a couple of hits to their credit, still go through look tests and other processes when they have to prove their mettle for a project that belongs to a different genre. Everything works according to the market value of a film. But when the same A-lister goes the Hollywood way, he/she has to go through a few important rounds of screen tests and showcase their best profile before the casting team.

priya.adivarekar@expressindia.com

Being professional

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra recently fulfilled his dream of establishing a company that discovers new talent. He tells us how the idea will benefit those who  want to make a mark in the industry

What was the reason that compelled you to start a casting company and studio?

When I started off as a casting director, I came across many budding actors. They had lot of expectations from me and kept saying that they didn’t know the right way. Besides, there are various negative elements outside who misguide them about the way the casting process functions. I realised there needs to be a proper platform where they can walk in anytime, showcase their talent and get a decent opportunity. When I had saved up enough money, I thought of investing it by doing something concrete and creative, rather than spending it on buying a house or car. I was toying with the idea for over one and a half years and I wanted to be the first person to do something professional like this. All the directors that I have worked with, which includes Rajkumar Hirani, Anurag Kashyap, Imtiaz Ali among others, gave me the confidence to go ahead with it.

So, how will this company benefit budding actors?

Well, the studio is open to everyone from 11 am to 8 pm. Anyone can walk in, go through an audition process and prove their mettle as an actor. There are four people who work in the studio and their daily job is to only take auditions. Yahan koi nahi bolega ki bas aap photo do aur yahan se chale jao. Nobody from my studio will go home empty handed. In case I feel the individual can do better, I’ll make them undergo our weekend workshops, which we are conducting for free. Last weekend, actor Manoj Bajpayee trained close to 40 aspirants. Next time, it will be someone else. We opened the registrations on Friday, June 13, when 480 people signed up. Ultimately, we selected 40 people through a lottery system.

What’s the next step for actors who have performed well at these auditions?

They will have an upper hand for the films or advertisements that I am casting for. For example, if I like three actors from one group, I’ll see if they fit the bill for a role and conduct a look test. If I am really happy with their talent, I’ll try to convince the director as to why my choice deserves to get a chance for that role. In case I am not available for the look test or workshops, I have installed CCTV cameras and will go through all the tapes, so that I don’t miss out on anything. That will also help to curb any wrong activity within the office. If I see any of my employees get resorting to casting couch or anything of that sort, I’ll sack him/her and ensure that they don’t get into this business of casting ever again. My target is to make the casting process at this company simple and clean.

But with so many people aspiring to become actors every day, don’t you think things can get difficult as your company keeps getting popular?

Not really. See, we must understand that with so many films being made every day, there is a lot of good work in the industry. Ab har koi star toh nahin ban sakta. But, we will ensure at least every actor with some potential gets good work and visibility. They need a direction and we are ready to provide that. I am not running an agency to earn money. I don’t handle actors or charge commission. My job is to hunt the right people who can fit the requirement of a character in any film and I just charge my fees as the casting director. Mukesh Chhabra’s Casting Company is not an acting school. We are just making the casting process more professional.