Casting director Mukesh Chhabra, a pivotal figure behind some of the country’s biggest projects, recently opened up about the pre-release backlash faced by his latest ventures, Ramayana and Dhurandhar. In a conversation with News18, he talked about the unnecessary negative reviews and smear campaigns that targeted Dhurandhar before it even hit theatres. It faced scrutiny regarding its press promotion and the last-minute cancellation of its press screening.
Mukesh said, “The negativity is a bit too much these days. I don’t know ki yeh sab kaun karwaata hai, kaise karwaata hai. People tend to over-judge. I don’t know why. It can happen to anyone these days.”
He further commented on the fleeting nature of this online hostility, saying, “This troll culture has gained ground but I can’t really do anything to stop that. I feel bad for everyone… These trolls immediately disappear the moment a film releases.”
This sentiment was also echoed by Yami Gautam Dhar, who took to X to condemn what she described as extortion in the guise of marketing. She alleged that some entities demand money to create hype, or else they continue to propagate negative narratives.
Mukesh, who was responsible for the casting of both Ramayana and Dhurandhar, compared the magnitude of these projects to his landmark work in Gangs of Wasseypur. While Wasseypur required 384 actors, these new projects demanded a similar level of intensity.
“I did Ramayana with the same dedication and purity as Dhurandhar,” he said, despite the Ramayana teaser receiving criticism regarding its VFX and the casting of Ranbir Kapoor and Sai Pallavi.
Apart from the controversies, he also shared his vision for the future of Indian cinema: a collaboration between two of the industry’s biggest stars, Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. Despite the frequent comparisons between the two, he believes a joint project would be a historic moment for the box office.
He concluded, “Both of them are fantastic actors. They’ve their individual styles and processes. I really think they should do a film together. Aisa ek zabardast film banna chahiye. It will be the biggest film of the country.”
Ultimately, Mukesh Chhabra remained confident that quality content will always win over digital noise, mentioning, “Achchi film ko koi nahi rok sakta (A good film cannot be stopped).”
Also Read: Sara Arjun Expresses Gratitude to Mukesh Chhabra for Casting Her in Dhurandhar
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