I believe in launching new faces: Casting Director Saurabh Kumar Verma

Though all of us have dreams that we want to accomplish, very few of us actually live it. But casting director Saurabh Kumar Verma is living his life fully by being a part of the glamour world against all odds that he had to face in the initial days of his career. And that may be the reason why he has earned a name in his profession today which makes him a happy man. Wanting to have a deeper look into his career which boasts of shows like Chandragupta Maurya, Arjun, Surveen Guggal and Qubool Hai among others, we at Tellychakkar.com got in touch with this very man for our Behind the Lens segment. Read on… When and how did your journey in the entertainment industry begin? (Smiles) I hail from Kanpur and like every other family; mine too wanted me to become an engineer. But contrarily, I opted to get into the field of entertainment. So after having completed a course in Mass Communication in my hometown itself, I came down to Mumbai to try my luck in the industry in the year 2007. The same year, I got an opportunity to work as an Assistant Director (AD) with Balaji Telefilms. I was in my first year of employment in the production house when a strike, back then, put everything on hold leaving me with no other option but to return home. Which means you had given up on all hopes? At that time, yes! In fact, my family too wanted me to take up something else for somewhere down the line they felt I was wasting my time in the hope of realizing my dreams which they thought wouldn’t materialize ever. But not the one to give up, I got back to Mumbai again in 2011. Then I joined Sagar Arts as an AD and went on to shoot for Surya Puran. Soon after, I turned a casting director and did the casting for shows like Chandragupta Maurya, Jai Jai Bajrangbali, Jai Jag Janani Maa Durga and Shani Dev. After having worked with the production house for two years, I joined 4 Lion Films for whom I did the casting of shows like Arjun, Surveen Guggal and Qubool Hai. I also freelanced for Life OK’s Savdhan India. Are you still a part of 4 Lion Films? No, currently I work with Endemol India. Do you like your job? Yes, I am completely in love with it for it has given me a lot of recognition. Are there times when you wish you were in some other profession? I think there is always this time in everyone’s lives. As for me when a similar thought crosses my mind I get under tremendous pressure. Then I wish I had heard out my parents who are extremely supportive of me and my profession even now. But the next moment I am happy in being where I am. Doesn’t it get tough to say a ‘no’ to your actor friends who bug you for roles? I have made it clear to almost everyone that I cannot offer them roles that do not suit them. So they are kind enough to not bother me to death. Moreover most of my friends from the industry and outside have been very supportive of me. Is there any casting pattern that you follow? No there isn’t any pattern in particular, but I believe in launching new faces for they bring the freshness along. At the same time there are roles which only the experienced artistes can do justice to. What’s next for you? I haven’t thought about it yet. I do not really plan too much in advance. All I can say now is that I have acted in a film titled Traces of Sandalwood that is expected to release soon. I play a tiny role in it. Now that I have acted in a film, I won’t say that I want to take acting as a profession. For now, I am happy being just a casting director.