Imtiaz Ali’s latest release Highway has enchanted the audience with its power-packed performances. Stringing the cast together seamlessly was casting director Mukesh Chhabra. This week we meet the casting director to know about his journey:
Initial Days
I began my career by casting for advertisements but it was quite a struggle in those days as casting directors were not paid very well. Sometimes, I would only have ` 50-100 in my pocket. But slowly, me and my roommate Akash Dahiya, who is now my associate, recognised that there is a gap in the process of casting and so we started streamlining the process of auditioning.
First Break
Imtiaz Ali was the first big director to give me my first break in Love Aaj Kal. I had worked on Rang De Basanti with Rucha Pathak, who is now UTV’s Creative Head. She introduced me to Vikas Bahl, who was planning to direct his first film Chillar Party. There were mainly kids featuring in it and it took me six months to cast for the film. Then Anurag Kashyap watched Chillar Party and from there I got Gangs Of Wasseypur. Initially, people assumed that since I had done the casting of a children’s film, that was my biggest strength. But once they watched Gangs Of Wasseypur, they realised the essence of a casting director’s work.
Turning Point
Gangs Of Wasseypur changed my life overnight. I had auditioned 350 actors for that film! It was an ensemble cast in the true sense of the word. Many people told me that the casting was the hero of the film. My phone hasn’t stopped ringing once the film released. After that film, I got to work with Vishal Bhardwaj and Rajkumar Hirani. Directors who once avoided my calls are now calling me for the casting of their films.
On Highway
Imtiaz told me he wanted a bunch of actors who would look like they were from the North and should look like real people, not actors. For Durgesh’s character, he told me he wanted someone who looked like a kidnapper and was still lovable. For Pradeep’s character, he wanted a man who was a confident, strong, wingman of the lead actor. He had to physically appear strong and macho and match up to Randeep’s stature. So I thought Pradeep was best suited to the role. Saharsh’s character is this sleaze ball and a devil in sheep’s skin.
I asked all of them to train the way a Gujjar would speak and acquaint them with the right mannerisms.
I made it very clear to the actors, what and how much role and screen space they would have in the film. I never tell anyone that I will ‘make their career’. Like when I cast Saharsh in P.K., I told him very clearly that there was only one scene for him so don’t expect much. I don’t want to break an actor’s trust or else they will not trust me the next time.
Different Perspective of Different Directors
One director might like an actor while another director might hate him. Some may feel the actor has a bad face, others might feel he looks perfect for the role. So there’s a lot of things to deal with. One day, I decided to think from the director’s perspective and that made my life much easier. So I switch perspectives when I work. It is important to do that because, for instance, Rajkumar Hirani and Anurag Kashyap have totally different perceptions towards cinema and the way they create their characters.
Changes In The Industry
A lot has changed and now our names have started appearing on film posters and in other credits. In the years to come, you will see more talents in the same field. While casting was once not considered very important, people now consider it a proper profession. With the star-based system diminishing, actors and casting directors are getting recognition.