Writer-director Richie Mehta’s Hindi web-series Delhi Crime won the Emmy award for Best Drama Series earlier this month. Well-known casting director Mukesh Chhabra, too, is pleased with the win since he was the one who chose the artistes for the show.
“It is amazing when your work gets appreciated and recognized on an international platform,” Chhabra said in a statement.
He pointed out that contrary to popular belief, the job of a casting director isn’t easy. “The audience thinks it is easy for us to select actors, but it’s the other way around," he said. "We have to study the concept and the story thoroughly to understand which actors would emotionally invest themselves in a particular character. That is what I did for Delhi Crime. The efforts of our entire team have paid off.”
Chhabra believes the Emmy win has increased his responsibility. “I’m sure the expectations of the audience have increased after such a big win. They do not expect anything directly from me, but I have one of the biggest responsibilities of bringing the characters to life with the right actors,” he said.
Chhabra made his own directorial debut earlier this year with Dil Bechara (2020), which was the last film of actor Sushant Singh Rajput who died by suicide before its release.