“All Bollywood actresses need to understand and accept that controversies are a ‘business’ for media. Only when they adapt, is when they will be able to take advantage of the situations media presents. Otherwise, they’ll risk resisting change, till a new generation comes and laps it up.” -Dale Bhagwagar
“The market for casting in Bollywood films, short films and television serials has grown manifold after the dominance of internet,” says the Indian film industry’s leading casting director Ahana Mohammed.
The lady who has been in the business of casting actors and actresses for many top projects and assisted in arranging select key artistes in movies like Bang Baaja Baaraat, Yaariyan, Grand Masti and Agneepath, feels its boom time for her business.
A mass media graduate in advertising and marketing, the sought-after casting director has a rich experience of nine years in the business of casting and artist management. Along with handling the casting for film, television and music artistes, she often manages a lot of models for the fashion circuit as well.
“We have around 500 Bollywood films being made every year and almost the same amount of television serials, daily soaps and entertainment programmes across the wide spectrum of TV channels. The best part is that now there are even a whole lot of short films and music videos to be tapped on the internet. It’s never been a better time for actors to get work, expand their horizons beyond movies and earn more,” analyzes Ahana. She makes it a point to add that inspite of this boom, “the film and modeling industry has a tremendous potential for growth.”
“Earlier advertising was restricted to print media and television. But that has changed over the last three years. Online advertising is fast catching up and many companies are now allocating almost half of their publicity budget to internet advertising. Thus the market is expanding rapidly and so is the need for established as well as newer faces,” concludes Ahana.
Since Thanos is supposed to have finished off half the universe… now, as usual, its time to spend a few days marking ourselves ‘safe’ on Facebook.
Elevate 2015 to empower creative streaks in Bollywood
Coinciding with the International Women’s Day, Garry Lyons of the University of Leeds, UK, along with activist-filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, will preside over Elevate 2015, the second annual conclave to be held on March 5 at The Club, Mumbai, this week.
The event will be marked by panel discussions, followed by felicitations of various network and studio teams, film and television writers, producers and directors, whose projects have made a profound impact on audiences.
It is being organized as part of The Third Eye program; a free-on-demand resource centre for information on sustainable development, climate change, health, legal and rights issues for filmmakers and creative communities, leading in the business of media and entertainment in India.
The Third Eye is a partnership between the ‘Asian Centre for Entertainment Education’ (ACEE), India, and ‘Hollywood, Health and Society’ (HH&S), Norman Lear Centre, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA. The ‘Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’, among others, funds the program.
In partnership with The Club, Mumbai; Elevate 2015 shares its association with the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. Alongside acclaimed film director, producer and screenwriter Mahesh Bhatt, the event’s accompanying moderator Garry Lyons, is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter and producer. He is the director of impact and innovation at the School of Performance and Cultural Industries at Leeds.
Two sets of panel discussions will be held between a stellar list of stalwarts from Bollywood, including experts and activists at the conclave. Topics include the creation of content, and how audiences, primarily women, can be empowered through the process.
There will be further discussions about how the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in India, and other regulatory authorities, can look ahead in time and formulate a vision for creative communities; thus empowering audiences.
