Sangeeta Yadav (HINDUSTAN TIMES; March 26, 2020)

From casting directors taking online auditions to filmmakers connecting with scriptwriters and actors through conference calls for ideation and script narrations— the show goes on behind the scenes in showbiz. Especially for those working from home after the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

For 10-15 days now, auditions have completely gone digital, according to industry insiders, and given the 21-day lockdown period announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, it’s likely to be the way forward till the curfew ends.

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra, who’s currently working on a web show, apart from yet untitled movies of Anubhav Sinha and Hansal Mehta, shares that it’s important to keep everyone’s safety in mind. “So, we take briefs from the director, make a shoot list, prepare the reference takes and share it with the actors, who then shoot their audition videos and share with us via Whatsapp or email.”

Some casting agents also opine that virtual auditions work best especially for actors who reside in other cities.

Anmol Ahuja, founder of Casting Bay agency, is all for the digital route amid ‘social distancing’. He says any work that can be done without stepping out of home, “like database management and coordinating with the director or actors”, is on without any hassle.

“We’re taking online auditions for two of our films, and also telling actors to utilise this time to hone their skills, prep for their next and watch a lot of films,” he adds.

Even directors are cool with this idea of online auditions and casting. In fact, they’re making the most of this time to ideate.

Hichki (2018) director Siddharth P Malhotra (right) says, “I’m casting through casting directors, with auditions self-shot by actors from home. I’m also conducting meetings on Google Hangouts where we have script sessions. So, instead of physically meeting writers, we’re doing this to follow the health protocol and not letting work suffer.”

Filmmaker Ali Abbas Zafar (left; below), too, feels “work must go on”, and cautions that in a crisis like this it’s important to stay safe and work from home as much possible. “We’re doing regular video conferences and narrations while at home,” he continues, “Also, we’re prepping for everything, so when we resume work, we’re ready. Real work will only start once the situation normalises.”

Like many corporate professionals who believe the new era is about working from home, director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari (right; below) says one has to find ways to help them utilise time and resources better. With a background in the advertising sector, she is using her “experience of three-way video conferences to discuss ideas across countries”.

The Panga director, who had to postpone the shoot of two of her ad films, adds, “We need to make best use of this time and not sit and say, ‘I don’t know what to do and how to do it”.

Abhishek Banerjee, who’s received high praise for his first big film turn, on the ultimate crossover — from scouting for talent to becoming one
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 18, 2018)

Abhishek Banerjee, who plays Jana, one of Rajkummar Rao’s two best friends in Amar Kaushik’s recently released sleeper hit, Stree, may be getting noticed for his work now, but the actor has been around for much longer. Not many know that Abhishek is a casting director who has scouted for talent in films like Shree Narayan Singh’s Batti Gul Meter Chalu, Vishal Bhardwaj’s Pataakha (co-casting with Gautam Kishanchandani), Punit Malhotra’s Student Of The Year 2 and Abhishek Varman’s multi starrer, Kalank, among others.

And even though he found firm footing in the film industry as a casting director, the 33-year-old Delhi boy with a theatre background admits that he had arrived in Mumbai 10 years ago to become an actor. “But I realised that the casting process is too difficult to breach. It was a completely disorganised industry with few key players. Fortunately, I got an opportunity to assist Gautam Kishanchandani, and found that I enjoyed the process,” he informs, adding that the casting room doubled up as an acting class for him. “I was interacting with so many actors and learning minute details about the craft.”

It was almost serendipitous how his newfound passion ultimately paved way for his first love. “I knew Amar since No One Killed Jessica. He was the associate director on the film while I was the associate casting director. He was livid when my casting partner Anmol Ahuja and I couldn’t work with him on Stree but when I asked him if there was a role for me in the film, that really moved him,” Abhishek reminisces, quick to clarify that he doesn’t usually pitch his name for projects. “It’s very embarrassing. I don’t want actors to think that I am hijacking their jobs when I am just as passionate about acting as they are.”

Recalling memories of his first big film as an actor — he has previously played the antagonist in Devashish Makhija’s Ajji last year — Abhishek smiles, “We didn’t face any difficulties while shooting in Chanderi. We fell in love with the town and its people and vice versa. The shopkeepers knew what characters we were playing and would try to get an idea of the story. We climbed on roofs to fly kites, ate heeng (asafoetida) samosas, polished off 10 plates of dal at a dhaba (five of which were apparently accounted for by his co-star, Aparshakti Khurana).”

Next up, the newbie has already signed two more films. “I’m doing Rajkummar Rao and Mouni Roy’s Made in China and Bhonsle featuring Manoj Bajpayee. I’m also considering a few good acting jobs right now. I’m glad to learn that people can imagine me in unique characters.”

Is casting taking a backseat now? Of course not,” he says. “I am motivated to do more good work and get some amazing actors to shine on-screen. Acting might be my first love but I will always be married to casting,” he adds.