Exclusive Interview! Casting Director Kavish Sinha: I Don't Think Casting Couch Happens Anymore

‘The Most Important Aspect Is Authenticity’

Due to the growth of digital space, many new artists get a chance to shine and show their acting chops. Casting directors nowadays play a vital role in creating opportunities for newcomers. Since you have cast for films and web series, what aspects do you see in the artists while casting for a project?

I think the most important aspect is authenticity because writing has become so authentic and so directed right now, it speaks about a certain area and a certain sort of originality. There are shows in the hinterland. There are extremely urban shows. Every show, every web series particularly or even films for that matter, has a particular landscape right now. So, I just first go for the authenticity. If there's somebody to be cast as a Bengali, I would look at a Bengali actor for that. And then obviously, the second most important thing would be, the craft of an actor.

There are a lot of people who are from Bihar but can also kind of do Bengali lines. So I keep looking at it as well. And once your craft is absolutely fine, I think, you will be a very authentic actor. So, I think authenticity is what I go for. We just have widespread talent. What my call as a casting director is, is just to bring all of them together now and kind of put them under a script, and let them shine.

‘Human Beings Themselves Are Challenged Enough’

Considering your involvement in casting for Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, Fan, Rocket Boys and the most recent project Rudra, what challenges did you face while casting for such big projects, as some of your selected stars are indeed shining in the digital space?

See with Rudra, the biggest challenge was to create the villains around every episode. Every villain had a certain graph, certain gravitas to prove. But also, with Ajay Devgn coming on board on a show, your responsibility becomes even bigger to create a great bunch of actors around him. Because he's such a fine actor that the biggest responsibility was to have somebody of equal metal within, even if they were smaller parts. Then obviously, there's the challenge of convincing people to come and do just one episode, because these are all actors who have done longer parts. If you see Vikram Singh Chauhan, he is a very famous TV actor. But to convince him to come on board and just do one episode as a villain, was the most difficult part. Also, the crime that was spoken about, were not regular crimes. It wasn't like a robbery or theft or anything of that sort. There was a bit of a cycle next to everything around it. So creating that world of terror, the psychographics of the crimes were so different that it was difficult to kind of meet them. For Rocket Boys, we were kind of abiding by history. Those were all real people who existed in the country at some point in time. It was more challenging to kind of bring in that authenticity. People knew how our Kalam was, people had seen Nehru before and knew how Indira Gandhi was. We've all grown up watching these people on television or reading about them. But here, we are talking about a real piece of movie. It was a challenge to actually bring that cognizance in order to build a reality around the entire world.

With Pal Pal Dil Ke Pass, to create a lead actor in the industry again was the biggest challenge of course. Sunny Deol sir was very particular about getting a girl who was as natural as possible, who has the kind of vulnerability and the charm of a hill station girl. And that's how I found Sahher Bambba. She was originally from the hills. I mean, she's a similar girl. With every project, there's a different challenge. I think that's the beauty of casting. Human beings themselves are challenged enough, and just to handle them all together as actors is a bigger challenge always. And that is what keeps me going all the time.

‘I'm Extremely Proud Of Gauahar Khan’

Without any biases, who is that one actor who indeed surprised you with his/her work and you feel proud of yourself for casting him/her?

There are quite a few whom I really trust. The Office India cast is my most favourite ensemble ever. They were all fresh people stepping into some really difficult shoes because obviously the reference point was, so you realise The Office had a cult following. I think The Office's cast is something that I'm extremely proud of. I know people haven't watched the show. And there was a lot of hate against it or whatever, because of the original. They could not understand the entire adaptation idea that why would we do this, but that was the entire idea of bringing it to the Indian context. Similarly, I think Mrinmayee Deshpande whom I cast in Mumbai Diaries as Sujata Athawale, was one of my most special casting ever. Not just because of the authenticity that she brought towards a girl from Latur in the show, but also the performance. I think she was a unanimous favourite among everybody after the show.

Sahher Bambba, I'm extremely proud of her for doing extremely well. She did The Empire where she played a mother to Aditya Seal. I think that was very brave of her to take up that role at the age of 23, as she was playing a mother to 30-year-old man and it requires guts to do that so early in your career straight after the film. I mean, she's so new, but she's such a confident girl. I'm famous only because of them. See, I'm extremely proud of Gauahar Khan, who's such a famous girl in the business, but then nobody really trusts her as an actor, and nobody has ever seen her as an actor. Bestseller has done so well, because of Gauahar. She is the one person that has been spoken about, and that is what I try to bring in with every project that I do. I believe in youngsters, I believe in my actors and I think they can bring in a lot of freshness to an already existing palette of actors that we have.

‘Shanoo Sharma An Institution By Herself’

Why did you choose casting director as a profession?

I did not choose it. Actually, it just happened to me. It was just sheer inspiration that I sought in a friend who was Shanoo Sharma. She was my closest friend. And, I just saw her work over a few months and I got so inspired by the journey, and by the process, you know, of creating actors out of nobodies, that I just happened to slip into it. I come from a very strong advertising and marketing background. So I was into advertising completely, working with some of the biggest agencies in the country. And that time, I was handling Shanoo. I just saw this process and I said, this is it, this is what I want to do. I'm not cut out for corporate jobs anymore. I did not want to sign in and sign out for office every day and get my salary deducted if I come in late. It wasn't my thing. Obviously, it must have been at some point and today, I am what I am because of the things that I learned in advertising.

As a casting director, I'm nothing but an advertiser for actors. So, actors become my consumers, and when they come to me, I kind of talk to them. I work in casting in a very different way. I kind of bring in a lot of psychology to it, I kind of bring in a lot of research to it. I wouldn't treat casting as a very floozy process here. Also, an actor's life literally relies on us. That's when I finally got into this process that Shanoo was doing, and more than the enamouring part of it, it was more inspirational to see people being created every day. And that's when I asked her if I could assist her and she happily welcomed me. I worked with her for about a year at YRF. And after that, I started working independently. It was all because of her. It was just sheer inspiration. She's an institution by herself. I just love the process of casting and that's what I thought, fortunately. For me when I stepped out, I kind of hurried independently. It's been quite a crazy journey.

Even though I had the schooling of films completely, I came from a space where I was used to casting feature films and big feature films. So obviously web series wasn't a very difficult task for me. What I found very difficult was casting ads. When ads used to come to me initially in my career, I would find it very difficult.

‘It Has To Be Mutual If It's Really Not Casting Couch’

The entertainment industry is famous for various reasons. But on the other hand, it is also infamous for the existence of casting couch. What is your take on it?

There can't be a take on the casting couch. I don't think it happens anymore. Because the actors have become so vocal with social media coming in and all those things, there's a very thin line right now, which people do not cross at any point in time. Also, with OTT and different forms of media coming in, I think the opportunities are really increased.

Casting couch is something that I used to hear about when I was not even in the business. I don't think you can actually perform, or you can excel with secondary ways of doing this job. Either you got to be in completely, doing it as professionally as possible, or otherwise, you won't really last in this business anymore. So, I really don't think casting couch really exists. It has to be mutual if it's really not casting couch. But I genuinely haven't faced it or like, haven't even heard about it in the last five-six years. I mean, I wouldn't really say that this exists as a process anymore. I think it will be out of the picture, also because of the increasing amount of talent. Because if one person doesn't get one job, it's not that his career is over.

There are so many opportunities right now for actors. Somebody who's not got enough films in life is a very big OTT star today and vice versa. Lines are blurring between television and film casting, like people from television come into films and OTT and they perform absolutely fantastic. I think the crossover of talent is so smooth and seamless right now. But you can't really hold anybody at gunpoint and do this anymore. So I think it is long over now.

‘Thank God For Nepotism That Alia Bhatt Exists’

Apart from casting couch, nepotism is also a hot topic of discussion on social media. Does the existence of nepotism affect the process of casting?

Not at all! How many products of nepotism do you see have actually made it in the market? If you speak about Alia Bhatt, thank God for the nepotism that she exists. Because it's what she is giving us, a kind of standing global right now. Most of the actors who are excelling and who are popular or do not have a base for the next two, three years; be it, Rajkummar Rao, be it Kartik Aaryan, are absolutely no products of nepotism.

No, I mean, the percentage of nepotism is really minuscule, as compared to the percentage of real talented people who are getting offers and opportunities right now. I'm sorry. And I might be just kind of like, being pulled up for this one. But where is it not? It's just that, because actors come in the limelight, and we are being spoken about all the time. That's why you know, this entire debate is happening. And believe me, it's not a challenge anymore. Because if a person was not fitting into the script, he's not fitting into the script. It's just as simple as that. It's a very direct approach to things right now. Content is king.

The script is absolutely sacrosanct and if there's somebody who's not fitting that part, he will not be taken in. I mean, it's not that these people have it easy any which way. In fact, they are burdened with more expectations with more judgements. Look at OTT, I mean who have you seen who's actually a product of nepotism. I think this is a very random debate that people have picked up only because we are in the limelight all the time, and these kids are in the limelight. Otherwise, I mean, we are a country of nepotism. And we have to kind of believe in that we have to accept that. If they've grown up in a film family, that's all they know all their life. And, they're ambitious about being actors. In fact, it's a very challenging job. Most of the time, regular freshers can totally get away with their mistakes, but these star kids cannot afford to do that. So I think they lead a more difficult life.

‘I Think You Should Always Have A Plan B Because Acting Has Absolutely No Age Whatsoever’

What tips would you like to give out to the aspiring actors who want to enter showbiz?

Well, I can write a book on that. More than anything else, I think they should be very realistic. They should give the timeline for sure. It is actually the toughest job on the planet. It's not easy being an actor in today's day and time, not just because of the demand and supply issue that is happening that there's less demand, and there's more supply, suddenly. People who even have good looks or decent looks think they can be actors. They do not understand that it's a job. You got to prepare for it. It's a craft that you got to master.

So, I just suggest that you want to be extremely resilient, which I think they actually are. Because they're emotional people, they're actors, because they're emotional, they're vulnerable people, and if they're not emotional, if they're not vulnerable, if they cannot be broken down, they will never be good actors in the first place. I just want to tell them that this place is for everybody, as long as you genuinely know yourself. Before you go out and start selling yourself as an actor to casting directors or to directors or anybody in the profession, you should first have a clear knowledge about yourself.

Acting is no more a hobby, it's a profession, and it's a very, very difficult profession. And once they've decided that they really want to do this, they have to give it time and they have to believe in themselves. Everybody who gets these offers is not a person who's come yesterday, they have done their bit. Just a pretty face will not work for you or just a great body today will not work for you anymore. Those days are over where you could just scratch the surface because right now, we're looking at layers and layers of emotions and your personal being. And if you haven't had those layers developed within you, this is not for you yet. I think you should always have a plan B because acting has absolutely no age whatsoever. If something is not working out right now, go back, build your life again, settle down, clear your furniture and then come back again. We have not restricted age anymore.

We are actually welcoming people who are doing this as second learning in their lives. People are coming to be actors at the age of 60, after retirement. I think this is beautiful right now. So, I think everybody should just kind of give it their own time because this is a profession that will take time. Because if it does not, it'll throw you out before time.

‘Content Is Going To Keep Changing And Evolving’

Lastly, what's in store for casting directors in future?

I think everything! Content is going to keep changing and evolving. It's becoming very, very challenging for us also. Scripts are being extremely beautifully written with a lot of details. The writers have become very, very medicalized. So, I think the challenge is that casting directors are going to be directly proportional to the challenges with writers. They will keep writing and we will keep casting, and that is how it's going to be. And the biggest challenge which is not just going to be there in the future, but exists even now is to create freshness in your casting. Because the audience has become very smart, especially after the pandemic, when everyone spent so much time-consuming content every day.

Like our mothers, like our fathers have actually started remembering people. Not just the Khans and the Kumar who have cognizance in the people's memory. So, I mean, that is where our biggest challenge lies that we got to keep ourselves extremely aware of who's coming in. I mean, who are the new people coming in? What is the new set of talent that we're getting while obviously creating opportunities for the older ones always in the right space and the right genre? And that is going to be a challenge.

You will always have to deal with aspirations, with emotions with them under vulnerabilities. That is a challenge that we face every day. So yeah, to create that blend of an interesting face along with a great acting chop is something that we are always struggling with and challenge ourselves with.