Celebrating her birthday today, Neha Sharma, known for her roles in films like Tum Bin 2 and Youngistaan, shared a disheartening professional incident. Recalling her experience during an interview with News18 Showsha, she revealed that she was initially cast in a project, and everything seemed to be progressing smoothly. However, to her surprise, she was later informed that she was being replaced in the film. Upon inquiry, she discovered that the reason behind her removal was the decision to cast a social media influencer with a substantial following.
Describing the situation, Sharma stated, “I was testing for a part. I did four readings, and I got along with the whole team. I fit the part, and everything was right. And then suddenly, I got a call saying that it was not happening. When I asked them what happened, I came to know that they decided to go ahead with an influencer with millions and millions of followers.”
Expressing her opinion on casting decisions, Sharma emphasized that being selected for a film should be based on talent and acting proficiency rather than social media popularity. She asserted that the qualifications and skills of a trained actor should carry more weight than the online fanbase size when making casting choices.
Sharma speculated that some film producers may believe that casting influencers will attract audiences to theaters due to their existing massive following. However, she advocated for a shift toward more “authentic casting” that prioritizes acting talent.
Regarding casting processes in Bollywood, Sharma highlighted that actors typically have limited access to auditions for specific scripts, making options scarce. She acknowledged past pressures on stars related to theatrical releases but expressed optimism about the industry evolving, providing more opportunities for everyone in the future.
