- 6/18/2025
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00:00Hi, everyone. This is Manjusha Radhakrishnan. I'm the entertainment editor, Gulf News. Today,
00:09it's a great privilege to speak to Bollywood's casting director. He's the go-to man to be
00:14discovered, Mr. Mukesh Chabra. Thank you so much for speaking to Gulf News.
00:17Thank you very much. I'm very happy. This is my first video interview in Dubai this time.
00:22I love it. I love it. I'm glad you're speaking to us. And we've spoken during Dilbichara.
00:26Days has been quite a journey for you. And you're the go-to person for anything Bollywood casting
00:31related, right? People say that. And I also, yeah, I take the responsibility, I guess.
00:37I have to tell you, it's not easy because I always judge a movie by who's cast. If the casting is
00:42done right, I think half your battle is won. Do you believe that? I actually believe that because
00:47I've actually, I got into casting thinking that because it's a little like a filmmaking.
00:51So that's why I think people have read this new, recent quote by Martin Scorsese. He says 90% job
00:56it done if your casting is right. And I genuinely believe in that. The kind of filmmaker I work
01:00with, including Imtia Jali, Raju Rani, Vishal Badavaraj, Vatantil Mehta, Anabha Sina. I think I got a
01:06great filmmaker and because of great story they write and great script they make, so that's why I
01:11could do the casting. Right. And Mukesh, when you see a person, do you immediately make up your mind or
01:17you always think auditions are the way to go forward? Do you have a process that you've
01:21internalized over the years? I meet, see I meet a lot of people, but generally I go with my
01:26instinct and impulse here. If I like the person vibe according to my character, obviously I audition
01:30the person. But for me, my first instinct should be right about that part. Yeah, because I think
01:36if my instinct is not right about that person, I will never audition. It's very important for me to see
01:41what I'm meeting you first time. If I know that you think, okay, I can test this lady for a very
01:46interesting part in my film, then I'll call you with the test. Right. If you're not close to my
01:50character according to my script, I will never call you. That's interesting. Go with the gut works for
01:55it? Absolutely. The casting is all depending on guts and impulsive and intuition. Really? Because I
01:59meet million and so many people every day. I go with my instinct. I see so many auditions. I decide my
02:05instinct says this person is right and I go with that person. Right. Dubai is also one place where
02:10people go to Mumbai like Taha Shah for instance. They all went to Mumbai to try their luck. Yeah. And you are here
02:15for a master class. I'm here for a workshop master class. And there are a lot of Indian
02:19people not shoot so many films in volleyball. Volleyball film they shoot in Dubai. And Dubai is a great
02:23place. And you get so many people, Indian, from Indian, Pakistani, from people of Sri Lanka, from
02:30UK, from America. You meet all kind of people here. That's why I come here. No, but what did you think of
02:34the students here? How are they different from the ones, the hopefuls who land in Mumbai? No, they're not
02:39different. They're talented. But the problem is they cannot shift to Mumbai. The only problem is they cannot
02:45shift to Bombay. But of course, if I can call them here and take them to Bombay, I'm very happy.
02:48Right. I found so many interesting people in the last five days. I think I'm a five, six great actor.
02:53And they're very, very, very talented. I don't know how I miss those people in Bombay. I think now I'm
02:58calling taking them to Bombay. So are they Indians or Arabs? Indians. What do you look for? Like say a kid in
03:03Dubai wants to make it to the world of Bollywood. I don't know if you remember this. Have you seen this
03:07show called Citadel with Varun Dhavana did? Yes, I did. Oh, yeah, Kashvi. I know Kashvi.
03:11She's from Dubai. Of course. I met her in Dubai. You met Kashvi in Dubai. I met in Dubai during
03:16during this Saima South Indian. I met her. A deception. Me and Khabib were standing. I said,
03:22who this case? She said, uncle, I want to act. And the way she spoke to me, I said, this is a
03:26person I want. And she did a fantastic job. And now she's doing a king also with Shahrukh Khan. I don't know if you
03:31know. I don't know. But yeah, that's good to know. That's good to know. No, that's brilliant. You know, Kashvi is one of our,
03:36like cultural exports from Dubai. When you look at them, right? What do you tell these kids? Like
03:43in the workshops that you said, because I think acting is also a lot about faith, right? Keeping
03:47the faith alive. Faith and positivity and happiness. And of course, you believe in yourself more than
03:52your, because 80% people are very talented, but they're very insecure about the line. I just give
03:57them the advice that be positive and don't take the mental stress. I always talk about the mental
04:02health is more important than the talent. That's so interesting. You speak about mental health
04:06because right now, in any part, whether pop culture or in our profession, hustle is not
04:11glorified, right? Yes. They're saying don't work that hard. It's okay if you're having a
04:15bad day. How are you keeping your mental peace, etc. Okay, in this scheme of things? I start
04:22my day with a lot of positive happiness every day. And by the end of the day, I feel low every
04:27day. That's a part of the job, I guess, because you meet so many people with so many expectations
04:30and hope. But the next morning, I wake up with the same thought that this is my first day
04:33in this, first day at work. So every day, I wake up with a first day. That's the only
04:37option I have. Otherwise, you know, in this line, there's so much struggle, so many people,
04:41million people are dying to be in this field. I, every night, I think, thank God, I have
04:47work. Tomorrow morning, again, I wake up with a smile and say, let's do it again. That's the
04:51only option I have. I work every single day. I don't take break, not even Sunday, not even
04:55holiday, not even Diwali, any festival. I don't take any breaks because if I take break,
05:00I feel very low. I want to work every day. I think all my team know that I never take
05:04any break. You are also in a very interesting job. I've seen a lot of series with casting
05:08agents. They have so much power. In fact, sometimes I feel they are the real power brokers.
05:13They make or break somebody, etc. How do you look at that kind of influence you have on someone's
05:17side? I don't see it as a power, I see it as a responsibility. Because power, you can always
05:21misuse. Responsibility, I actually feel very responsible for my film and for my job. Because
05:27there's so many people hope attached to me, dreams attached to me. And the director hired me to make
05:33sure that I do a good job. And a lot of people coming to my office with a lot of expectation.
05:38It's a big responsibility. It's not a power game. It's not a power play.
05:41You have to tell me, like, has Bollywood's demand changed over the years? What have you changed?
05:47You have been in this industry long enough to make a comment on it.
05:51I think Bollywood is now actually welcoming more talent, new talent, more new director,
05:57more new writer, more new because of this OTT platform. I think now they're welcoming new.
06:03That's why Jadip is also a very big star in today's time.
06:06I love Jadip.
06:07Jadip is also a big star. V.J. Verma is also a big star.
06:09Aashmar is also a superstar. And you see Jishan is doing well. Nawaz is doing so well.
06:14I think because it's new, last, after Gangs of Basipur and you see so many films, the great talent.
06:19You see new show called Black Warrant. You see new talent.
06:21I love Black Warrant. The casting was spot on.
06:24Thank you very much.
06:25We have to get it on. You are responsible for it.
06:27Well done. Thank you very much.
06:28Take a bow. I think one of the nicely cast series. Like, in fact, I was Googling who they were also at some point.
06:34Yeah, yeah. I didn't know anybody, but all of them perfectly done. Well done.
06:39Because the industry is welcoming new talent. That's why I'm finding more talent.
06:43They gave you space.
06:44They gave me space. They gave me the script.
06:46Vikram Advani told me, go and find new talent. I don't really care.
06:50During Kaya Poche, Gattu said, get me new talent.
06:53Then we said, get me new talent. I think they gave me space and I did it.
06:59Right.
07:00The industry is fully changed now. They only want to see good talent and good film.
07:05And if you take biggest star of this country and put them in one film, there is no guarantee that the film will work.
07:11The film will only work if the film is great scripted. It's like 12 films.
07:15Because the films are great. People are not stupid. They are not dumb anymore.
07:19They are not.
07:20You want to see good cinema. Even you want to review good films.
07:23I want to watch good films. My mother, my dad, they all want to see good films.
07:26What do you do when you are disappointed? I know there are disappointments of others that you handle.
07:31But when you are like, you know, you set somebody up. You told them, okay, listen, cast this dude.
07:35I think, cast this woman. She's brilliant. And they don't see it.
07:39But you see their brilliance. Has it happened to you?
07:41Many times. But I still have to fight a lot with my directors.
07:45I think if you read about my previous history, they know that I fought with Madhwani.
07:49I fought with Nitesh Tiwari. I fought with Anurag. I fought with Vishal Bhardabad.
07:53I fought with Rakesh Mehra. I fought with Hansal a lot. I think I am known for that.
07:56No, but I think you are also fighting with all these people who are open to a debate.
08:01No, almost every film is open to a debate because I have also done decent work.
08:06They listen to me. That's why they hire me and pay me money.
08:08Right.
08:09They don't hire me to get them options. They hire me for my opinion.
08:12They hire me for my opinion. They hire me because this guy will come up with a great idea and great suggestion.
08:16Sometimes I tell them that maybe you should just take a male reporter, don't take a female reporter
08:22because we might change the script and like that. They also listen to me in that case.
08:26Right. You did your directorial debut with Dil Bachara. It was such a, you know, a poignant movie for you, right?
08:34I mean, it was like the worst tragedy involved with Sushant Singh Rajput not being there.
08:38But then also you made it somehow. Would you go back to it? And how do you look back on that episode?
08:44I think I've spoken so much about Dil Bachara. It's a very sad part of my life because I made my first film with my best friend, Sushant.
08:53And you know the tragedy. We all know. So actually, whenever people talk about Dil Bachara,
08:58I always say the film belongs to Sushant. Sushant, Dil Bachara, I've done nothing.
09:01You know the history. Everyone knows. I've spoken so much about Dil Bachara.
09:04I feel very low and depressed when I talk about Dil Bachara. I don't feel happy about it.
09:08Do you have survivor's guilt then? You must have survivor's guilt.
09:11Yeah. I want to make my next film.
09:14Yes. But I don't know when will I get time because I'm busy casting for so many films right now.
09:21What is your next chapter you would think then? I mean, you know, every episode teaches you something great.
09:27You have cast people. You have directed. Now what's next for you?
09:32I am now moving into producing films. I'm already producing Hansel Mehta's film.
09:36It's already an announcement is out. Hansel Mehta's film. Yes. Oh, I love Hansel Mehta's film.
09:41Now I'm just in the middle of finalizing two more scripts. I've opened a small company.
09:47I'm also one more company for writers. What is it called?
09:50It's for writing for you. I'm also working with two writers. Oh, thank you. We need writers.
09:55Yeah. So I'm developing few scripts and running a writer's room. So doing something very interesting.
10:01No, I love the fact that you said you're starting a writer's room.
10:04I've already started. Good for you.
10:06Yeah. Somewhere you saw the gap, right? Where are the writers?
10:09Every director I talk to are like, we need more writers.
10:12Yeah. With Chad GPT coming in, I don't know where that stands.
10:14Yeah. I think, you know, when people say that you can find actors also.
10:19I said I can also find writers. I'll show you in a few months that I can also find writers.
10:23Because this, you know, in India or in outside of India, you meet so many talented people.
10:28They all need a right platform. I can give a platform to everyone.
10:32Not only actor, maybe writer, maybe DOP, maybe editor, maybe young directors.
10:39I am now looking for everyone, not only actors.
10:42How do you become a casting agent from your perspective?
10:45Everybody wants to be an actor, director, producer.
10:48Casting agent, I've never come across anybody who said I want to be a casting agent.
10:52How do we change the narrative?
10:53No, but there are many now.
10:55Yeah.
10:56There are 150 people working in my company.
10:5850 of them want to get into casting independent.
11:00Few of them became independent casting directors.
11:02Nice.
11:03So I think it's now full-fledged profession.
11:05I think I'm recently, after three, four months, I'm also starting my own course for casting director.
11:11For three months training for casting director.
11:12Lovely. Yes.
11:13Why I realized?
11:14You know, people, they're at school for actor, school for director, for writer, but they know school for casting director.
11:21What do you need?
11:22What is the biggest skill you need for a casting director?
11:24The memory, and you should also know how to direct an actor.
11:26Your vision, you can also support the actor, and how to audition them is very important.
11:30So that if you don't audition well, how will you sell them?
11:33Right.
11:34And you need to fully convince when you like the actor, and you should also have the power to convince the director.
11:39Yes.
11:40Yes.
11:41And memory needs to be there, because you have to, because you meet so many people, you have to remember people,
11:45and also understanding of script, how to audition an actor, how to make him comfortable in front of the camera.
11:52Okay.
11:53So, and how to shoot the audition delivery, that's also very, very, very important.
11:57If you take a good actor, and you badly audition him, or badly shoot the actor, he will leave a bad impact on the director.
12:04And even you will, so they will also judge you how you audition the actor.
12:08That's also very important.
12:09Oh, that's so interesting.
12:10Oh, that's so interesting.
12:11But do you think established, like in the West, established actors, I see Anthony Hopkins and all still auditioning.
12:16Yeah.
12:17I don't see that kind of auditioning tapes coming out in Bollywood as much.
12:20Maybe Akriti Sanan or something.
12:21It's a little bit, but I think slowly, slowly, you know, West may have been doing it for the last 100 years.
12:27And they don't find any shame in auditioning.
12:30Slowly, slowly, it's changing now.
12:32Now, if I tell people that you have to do a look test, even in Lal Ting Chadda, Aamir audition, even Rina Kapoor also.
12:37I don't know if you know this.
12:38He said, I want to do a screenshot and see whether you're my character or not.
12:42Now, people started doing that.
12:43For Lapata ladies, he did and he got rejected.
12:46That went and did the rounds.
12:47But for Lal Ting Chadda, he auditioned Kareena Kapoor.
12:49Oh, good.
12:50He auditioned so many actors.
12:51He also tested Kareena Kapoor.
12:53He did reading with her.
12:54Nice.
12:55Screen touch with her.
12:56And it's a great thing.
12:57I think it's a great initiative.
12:58And everyone should think they're not rejecting the actor, they're rejecting the character,
13:03whether you're right or wrong.
13:04What do you think is your biggest achievement so far?
13:07You have been in the industry for over decades now.
13:09Biggest achievement is that I brought so many new talent and that gives me true happiness.
13:16That's the biggest achievement, I think.
13:19And I always tell my mother, you give me a good lifestyle because of casting.
13:25Because of casting.
13:27Because of casting.
13:28You know, it's very important.
13:29And it's also very important.
13:32I'm from middle class family.
13:33So, I give them a good lifestyle.
13:35They feel all because of casting about everything.
13:37So, my mom and dad are happy.
13:38No, that's interesting.
13:39Because you say that, do you ever forget your middle class, Ruth?
13:42No.
13:43Or has your relationship with the money changed?
13:45No, I don't want to forget.
13:46No, I don't want to forget that.
13:47Ever.
13:48Ever.
13:49Yeah, and what's the biggest misconception about you and casting?
13:51They think that we always cast our favourite.
13:56That's not true.
13:57One casting that cannot have 1,000 favourites.
14:00Yes.
14:01Yes.
14:02For sure.
14:03It's practically, humanly impossible.
14:05That's the favourite.
14:06It's humanly impossible.
14:08Right.
14:09We only cast the right one.
14:10Because actors are mostly insecure.
14:11And they get into the negative space very quickly.
14:13Because I reject more than I select.
14:15Ah.
14:16Yeah.
14:17Because I've auditioned for 14,000 girls and I found two for Dangal.
14:20That means, I'm thinking that Sania, Fatima are my favourite.
14:25Well, that's not true.
14:26They all go through the process.
14:27Okay.
14:28People always saying that casting director always cast the favourite one.
14:30But that's not true.
14:31We always cast the right one.
14:32Really?
14:33Which has been your most toughest project so far, Mukesh?
14:36To cast?
14:37Don't tell me Black Warrant because I thought you did a phenomenal job with that.
14:40The toughest one was Gangso.
14:41That initially started my career, right?
14:43That was a big one.
14:44That's a big one.
14:45I also understand the process of casting director.
14:48That was a very big one.
14:49Because Chilla Party was also tough.
14:50There were so many kids.
14:51Super 30 was also very tough.
14:52Badrangi Bhaja was also very, very, very tough.
14:54To find the right Munni.
14:55Yes.
14:56Yeah.
14:57Have you ever gone wrong with your instincts?
14:59You can be honest and don't name them.
15:00Yes.
15:01Many times.
15:02Yeah, many times.
15:03Obviously because you keep learning, you keep growing with your work, right?
15:07When I started my career, I think I went wrong with four or five times in my life.
15:18What did your mum say when you told her that you want to be a casting agent in Bollywood?
15:22She had no idea.
15:23She always said, why don't you act if you're giving work to people, why don't you start acting?
15:30Aha, which is true.
15:31I said, mom, that's not how it works.
15:33I want to do this.
15:34Initially, for four or five years, she didn't understand what casting director's job is.
15:38The Punjabi middle-class people, how will they understand what casting director does?
15:42But slowly, slowly, when she came to know, then started telling people, you know, my brother,
15:47my son, he gives a break to people.
15:50And now started telling everyone.
15:52When she met Salman Khan and Shahrukh Khan, she was really happy.
15:55Oh, sure, he might be doing something interesting.
15:57That's why they all love him so much.
15:59I think she understood later on.
16:01And then, people also interviewed her many times.
16:04They interviewed her because she's the mother of a casting agent?
16:10That is so interesting.
16:11Why?
16:12I mean, just because, how did she raise you?
16:13Yeah, what my background was, how my connection with film industry is, how madly films about my childhood, everything.
16:20Who was your most glorious discovery?
16:22And be very honest about it.
16:24You can have more than one.
16:25Okay.
16:26In recently, of course, Sushant in Rajput.
16:29And then there is Vicky in Masan.
16:32Rajkumar, Rao.
16:34Sanayi, Fatima in Dhangal.
16:35Tripathi in Laina Majnu.
16:37And, yeah, there is Pankhat Rupati in Ganga Subhasipur.
16:40I think Pankhat Rupati is...
16:42There are so many of them.
16:43Like, all the kids in Chiller Party.
16:45Munni, Madrangi, Bhaijaan.
16:47Kids in Dhupad-Thati.
16:48I think, yeah, all the kids in Black Warren.
16:51I think so many.
16:52Like, you're asking your child who's your favorite child.
16:54Thank you so much for putting Bollywood on the map
16:57and bringing some of the most stellar talents to the big screen.
17:00Thank you very much.
17:01I think the entire movie success starts from Mukesh Chabra
17:04and then go on to the actors.
17:05Well done for bringing out all these gems
17:08and finding the best in people.
17:10Thank you very much.
17:11Thank you very much.
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