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CASTING DIRECTOR PANCHAMI GHAVRI REVEAL INSIDER DETAILS BEHIND THE CASTING PROCESS OF “SHOWTIME” SAYS, “We knew the most crucial track in the series is that of Emraan and Mahimas”
In the realm of cinema, the fusion of narrative complexity and stellar performances elevates storytelling to new heights, and casting director Panchami Ghavri stands as a testament to this synergy. Panchami now opens up about her upcoming series “Showtime”, working with Karan Johar, Mihir Desai, Archit Kumar, and also reveals details about casting Mahima Makwana, Naseeruddin Shah, and Rajeev Khandelwal.
As the architect behind the ensemble cast of “Showtime” Panchami Ghavri orchestrates a symphony of talent, blending aesthetic appeal with thespian prowess. Now, Panchami talks about the creative process of casting for a series that is based on Bollywood and captures the glitz of the showbiz industry. She opens up on her meticulous process of casting the perfect actors and bringing the story alive, saying, “When we started casting for Showtime, many actors turned us down but we still landed an excellent cast. In fact, we did a big round of auditions for the role of Mahika (Mahima Makwana). For Mahika alone, we must have done over 200 tests. We knew how much weightage it had to the series. We also hadn’t given out the importance of that part to actors while they were testing. We knew it’s extremely crucial that she and Emraan have the main track. So we tested a lot of girls before we zeroed down on Mahima. Honestly, we just wanted a solid actor for the role of Mahika and Mahima just felt like the right fit.”
She further adds, “There are always tough decisions to make when it comes to casting but there are also many times that we don’t get exactly who we wanted for certain parts, either visions don’t align or dates. There can be so many reasons for things to fall apart. I think our toughest and now proudest casting is Rajeev Khandelwal. I’m really excited for people to see Rajeev Khandelwal in the show, he has killed it!.”
‘Showtime’ also stars the veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah as ‘Victor’ in a pivotal role. Having already worked with him for ‘Gehraiyaan’ , Panchami was very eager to get him on board. She excitedly adds “Nasser Saab was always the one we wanted for Victor, so glad he agreed to come on board.” With a keen eye for talent and being a master at delivering the director and writer’s vision right, Panchami carefully picked the artists playing pivotal roles and crucial to the storyline of ‘Showtime’. The series humbly boasts of a cast of talented actors that will have you rooting for them and keeping you on the edge of your seat.
Talking about the challenges of working with an ensemble cast and how she ensures a balance between every individual’s talents and requirements, Panchami quips “It is a really big and diverse cast. This question should be for Mihir Desai and Archit Kumar(directors) more than me. I’m sure it must be harder on set. For us we meet actors individually when we are pitching so it’s not that hard. We focus on their strengths while casting and try to get as many reads in so the actors know and get comfortable with each other. A lot of prep has started to happen now, much more than before!”
She also adds “Mihir and Archit were quite clear about what they wanted and as the whole cast is very experienced and talented, we didn’t hold any special workshops for actors, they mostly did readings and meetings with the directors. I think good actors are good actors so they can handle doing different things. We focussed on just getting actors who are talented but also come with a certain amount of experience. For Showtime, it is a high-energy drama so viewers will enjoy watching it. It keeps you glued! So many characters get introduced as the season moves ahead.”
Panchami Ghavrii is no stranger to working with big production houses and renowned actors and directors, having a long-standing working relationship with Karan Johar and also being a major part of commercial projects like ‘Kapoor & Sons, ‘Gehraiyaan’ and many more, she talks about her experience working with Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment and collaborating with new-age directors.
“I think as a unit we all knew this show is going to be larger than life, after all, it’s about the film industry, it touches on nepotism, insecurities,egos, superstardom so one thing was clear is that it’s going to be a big production, it should be opulent and the cast – especially since needs to catch eyeballs and all be talented. Karan Johar it’s such a great mentor and leader he really trusts the people he hires. He’s always in the loop about the route the casting is taking but the eventual decision he’ll leave to the directors. I loved working with both Mihir and Archit. They both have very very different vibes. One is a storm and one is calm. Mihir brought in the high-energy vibe and Archit is as calm as the ocean. So it was interesting to work with such different minds but aligned on creative energies”
Keeping her next project under wraps, Panchami left us guessing but not without a small hint that has gotten us excited already! “Archit and I are doing another project together and it’s going to be another exciting collaboration but I can’t share anything more about it for now, you will just have to wait and watch!”
On the work front, Panchami Ghavri has been a part of many projects like “Brothers.” “Class,” “Kapoor and Sons,” Mismatched, “Masaba Masaba,” and “Gehraiyaan”. Her latest project include Karmma Calling and her upcoming projects releasing soon are Yodha, The Crew, Murder Mubarak, and Mr and Mrs. Mahi.
