When a debutant makes it to the top of entertainment, the role of casting director plays an important role because it was they who first saw the potential in the respective actor. In this regard, The Pioneer conversed with Panchami Ghavri, who is solidifying her status as one of the top casting directors in Hindi cinema, to learn more about her profession, cinema, and others.
SHIKHA DUGGAL
Panchami Ghavri, who carved out a space for herself, has cast for some well-known films, solidifying her status as one of the top casting directors in Hindi cinema. The most recent role Ghavri held was that of casting director for the popular series Karmma Calling!
She insists that anyone can approach her for an audition and that they will be given an equal opportunity. Every day, she is searching for fresh talent. She can’t keep mentioning the same individuals, as she remarked. Here is our exclusive interview with the casting director, and she starts by saying, “I think we have shifted to being a bit more curated casting house, but casting has evolved in general. Casting in the past was more messy. There was insufficient method to the madness—an infinite number of tests and hundreds of auditions for an advertisement in a single day. We operate extremely differently now. It is much better curated and organized. We create a list of candidates we believe would be a good fit for the role as soon as we learn we are auditioning for it, making sure to include a few unconventional choices as well. We routinely conduct our initial rounds of self-tests, and if we are satisfied, we invite them back to the office for additional testing. This is like working more intelligently—it saves a tonne of time.”
She even remembered, “The procedure is pretty much the same for everyone, even if it is a Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer. Usually, I would have a jam session with the director to see what ideas they have in mind, where names should be connected, and where we should do auditions to locate the talent. Naturally, difficulties vary from project to project. There are a tonne of possibilities, such as missing deadlines, having trouble with some castings, having schedule modifications, delays, etc. if we talk of movies like The Crew or a Murder Mubarak.”
She goes on to say, “My director, Sharan Sharma, took the decision to cast Jhanvi Kapoor for the upcoming film titled Mr. and Mrs. Mahi because he had previously collaborated with Janvhi on Gunjan Sexena. Rajkummar was a perfect fit for the role; everyone is aware of his talent and diligence. We will have to wait until you guys watch the trailer before revealing Kumudji, Zarina, ma’am, and the rest of the group. I am really pleased with Mr. and Mrs. Mahi; their tale is so endearing, and the performers did an amazing job. This is, in my opinion, Janvhi’s best performance.”
Her ability to recognise faces and her knowledge are also beneficial. “Usually, if we are aware of them, we will get in touch with them directly or through their organisation and send them some reading material,” she stated. “Alternatively, we choose a scenario for an audition, compile a list of candidates, and then head straight to the audition. Naturally, I believe that the cornerstone is every role that we are casting for talent. We enjoy casting with the type occasionally. If, for example, we are searching for an urban city girl, we will audition girls who are naturally urban and from cities. Occasionally, we cast performers who may be exceptionally gifted but do not quite fit the description, going against the type. The latter has largely surprised me with amazing things. So, when casting, we never really choose a single direction.”
“We only and only put actors on a playlist who have given a good test,” he went on. “For me and the majority of my directors, it’s never based on following. Platforms may occasionally request that since it makes it simpler to promote an actor who has a following but not us. We don’t prioritise following; instead, we are a talent-focused house.”
For further information, Panchami’s statement was, “It has been amazing working on the Class movie in particular. I was stuck inside my residence throughout the lockdown. It was therefore an interesting experience to find these special ten from all around India and also get used to working remotely. As a creator, I took a lot of inspiration from Ashim. We ended up with this diverse, incredibly skilled, and gorgeous ensemble because he offered me a lot of creative flexibility! On the other hand, Karmma Calling claimed that it’s a thriller and that it’s a completely new universe. I clicked with Ruchi right away when we first met. I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with a few female directors, so I was extremely eager to work with another one. I adore Ruchi’s energy. She expresses her desires quite clearly!”
Occasionally, she and her team encounter difficulties when attempting to mentor younger members. She said, “Last year, when the business felt incredibly slow in terms of the quantity of work we were doing—a sort of diversion—was actually the turning moment; as a freelancer, I realised I needed to be more than just one thing. Last year, I took a chance and did something other than casting.”
For her crew and any incoming actors, she wants her space to be a secure one. She is rather proud of the way they operate. They are a fairly small team. But she is very approachable, so anyone may come talk to her about anything. “A few fundamentals I have implemented are no sexiest remarks, no messaging actors for purposes other than business unless they are your pals, and availability to come see me as soon as possible if someone is uncomfortable. Sincerely, I am glad to say that none of the actors on my team have ever complained; we operate in a very safe and orderly manner. When someone makes a mistake in whatever way, it’s discussed and handled properly.”
Panchami Ghavri, who carved out a space for herself, has cast for some well-known films, solidifying her status as one of the top casting directors in Hindi cinema. The most recent role Ghavri held was that of casting director for the popular series Karmma Calling!
She insists that anyone can approach her for an audition and that they will be given an equal opportunity. Every day, she is searching for fresh talent. She can’t keep mentioning the same individuals, as she remarked. Here is our exclusive interview with the casting director, and she starts by saying, “I think we have shifted to being a bit more curated casting house, but casting has evolved in general. Casting in the past was more messy. There was insufficient method to the madness—an infinite number of tests and hundreds of auditions for an advertisement in a single day. We operate extremely differently now. It is much better curated and organized. We create a list of candidates we believe would be a good fit for the role as soon as we learn we are auditioning for it, making sure to include a few unconventional choices as well. We routinely conduct our initial rounds of self-tests, and if we are satisfied, we invite them back to the office for additional testing. This is like working more intelligently—it saves a tonne of time.”
She even remembered, “The procedure is pretty much the same for everyone, even if it is a Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer. Usually, I would have a jam session with the director to see what ideas they have in mind, where names should be connected, and where we should do auditions to locate the talent. Naturally, difficulties vary from project to project. There are a tonne of possibilities, such as missing deadlines, having trouble with some castings, having schedule modifications, delays, etc. if we talk of movies like The Crew or a Murder Mubarak.”
She goes on to say, “My director, Sharan Sharma, took the decision to cast Jhanvi Kapoor for the upcoming film titled Mr. and Mrs. Mahi because he had previously collaborated with Janvhi on Gunjan Sexena. Rajkummar was a perfect fit for the role; everyone is aware of his talent and diligence. We will have to wait until you guys watch the trailer before revealing Kumudji, Zarina, ma’am, and the rest of the group. I am really pleased with Mr. and Mrs. Mahi; their tale is so endearing, and the performers did an amazing job. This is, in my opinion, Janvhi’s best performance.”
Her ability to recognise faces and her knowledge are also beneficial. “Usually, if we are aware of them, we will get in touch with them directly or through their organisation and send them some reading material,” she stated. “Alternatively, we choose a scenario for an audition, compile a list of candidates, and then head straight to the audition. Naturally, I believe that the cornerstone is every role that we are casting for talent. We enjoy casting with the type occasionally. If, for example, we are searching for an urban city girl, we will audition girls who are naturally urban and from cities. Occasionally, we cast performers who may be exceptionally gifted but do not quite fit the description, going against the type. The latter has largely surprised me with amazing things. So, when casting, we never really choose a single direction.”
“We only and only put actors on a playlist who have given a good test,” he went on. “For me and the majority of my directors, it’s never based on following. Platforms may occasionally request that since it makes it simpler to promote an actor who has a following but not us. We don’t prioritise following; instead, we are a talent-focused house.”
For further information, Panchami’s statement was, “It has been amazing working on the Class movie in particular. I was stuck inside my residence throughout the lockdown. It was therefore an interesting experience to find these special ten from all around India and also get used to working remotely. As a creator, I took a lot of inspiration from Ashim. We ended up with this diverse, incredibly skilled, and gorgeous ensemble because he offered me a lot of creative flexibility! On the other hand, Karmma Calling claimed that it’s a thriller and that it’s a completely new universe. I clicked with Ruchi right away when we first met. I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with a few female directors, so I was extremely eager to work with another one. I adore Ruchi’s energy. She expresses her desires quite clearly!”
Occasionally, she and her team encounter difficulties when attempting to mentor younger members. She said, “Last year, when the business felt incredibly slow in terms of the quantity of work we were doing—a sort of diversion—was actually the turning moment; as a freelancer, I realised I needed to be more than just one thing. Last year, I took a chance and did something other than casting.”
For her crew and any incoming actors, she wants her space to be a secure one. She is rather proud of the way they operate. They are a fairly small team. But she is very approachable, so anyone may come talk to her about anything. “A few fundamentals I have implemented are no sexiest remarks, no messaging actors for purposes other than business unless they are your pals, and availability to come see me as soon as possible if someone is uncomfortable. Sincerely, I am glad to say that none of the actors on my team have ever complained; we operate in a very safe and orderly manner. When someone makes a mistake in whatever way, it’s discussed and handled properly.”
