New Delhi: The secret ingredient to make any film a blockbuster is no longer a superstar but an entire ensemble cast, as it is important for each character to deliver their best to touch the hearts of the audience. Movies like Dangal, Shubh Mangal Saavdhan etc are a perfect example of this. Casting Director Mukesh Chhabra has been a game changer for many in the industry, with his sharp eye he has been able to bring various stories to life and successfully bring out characters that are etched in our memory.
Examples of this include these cult films known for their stellar cast, courtesy of casting guru, Mukesh Chhabra. All these movies will not be blockbusters at the box-office but surely everyone remembers them who watch them once.
1) ANEK– The film was a social drama starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Andrea Kevichsaw, directed by Anubhav Sinha. Andrea Cevichusa’s epic casting is what sets this project apart. It is rare to be given a platform to the talents of the North East of our beautiful country and this is what Mukesh Chhabra did with it! Were talking rave reviews and a perfect fit for the cast
2) 83 – Casting an actor is not an easy task and imagine doing it with Eleven. This was the case with Ranveer Singh starrer 83, which required the cast to consist of an entire cricket team and coach and supporting actors. Very few are aware that singer-turned-actor Hardy Sandhu was once an Indian cricketer as an under-19 pacer, taking advantage of his career and even before being coached by Madan Lal at the NCB camp, Mukesh Chhabra named him was suggested. For the role of Madan Lal. Hardy Sandhu did justice to the role he was given with his hard work and dedication towards his work. It also proved to be Hardy’s biggest success in Bollywood.
3) Super 30 – It is the story of the genius of Anand Kumar, an Indian mathematician, who faced the harsh realities of life at a young age and after meeting the end. He then started his own coaching center to prepare students for IITs where he coached 30 talented underprivileged children for JEE-IIT as a part of Super 30 programme. The idea of casting Krrish superstar Hrithik Roshan in the humble role of Professor was also born thanks to Mukesh and his vision. Pankaj Tripathi brings his comedic element here as well, Virendra Saxena’s positivity as Anand’s father Aditya Srivastava was coveted with Amit Sadh, Nandish Singh’s amazing performance added excitement to the film. Mrunal Thakur made her debut as the love interest of Hrithik (Anand) in the film and gave a sensational performance. Mukesh Chhabra saw immense potential in him, who later acted in films like Manikarnika, Dhamaka, Jersey etc.
4) Dangal – Casting for a film like Dangal is not an easy task. From finding the right characters to fitting them into the role of the player, who goes through different ages, is an uphill task in itself. Mukesh saw talent, grit and ambition in Fatima Sana Shaikh and Sanya Malhotra, who starred as Geeta and Babita in the film. The master of it all, Aamir Khan makes the impossible possible and it was Mukesh who was convinced of the history-making trio and yes, hence it was one of the biggest blockbusters of all time.
5) Shubh Mangal Saavdhan The film won the hearts of the audience and critics and got a lot of love from all over the country. It is a love story between two people who want to get married and have a family. The plot from beginning to end keeps the interest of the audience. In the film, Bhumi Pendekar had a support system in the form of her best friend ‘Ginni’, played by debutant Anshul Chauhan, who played her role well and did justice to the role she was given.
Mukesh Chhabra who never fails to amaze the audience and the Bollywood industry for such good talents and with his spirit to cast few actors for the role.