Mukesh Chhabra
Born (1980-05-27) 27 May 1980 (age 43)
Delhi, India
NationalityIndian
Alma materNational School of Drama
Occupations
Years active2006–present
Known for

Mukesh Chhabra (born 27 May 1980) is an Indian casting director, filmmaker and actor.[1][2] Some of his notable works include Bajrangi Bhaijan (2015), Bombay Velvet (2015), Dangal (2016), Dil Bechara (2020), Scam 1992 (2020), Laal Singh Chaddha (2022), Commando (2023), Jawan (2023), Dunki (2023), Chamak (2023) and Kafas (2023).[3][4][5]

Early life and education

He was born in Delhi in 1980. He studied acting at the Shri Ram Centre for Performing Arts. He completed a six-year acting and teaching stint with the ‘Theatre in Education’ Company (TIE) affiliated with the National School of Drama in New Delhi.[6]

Career

He started his career as an assistant casting director in 2006 with Rang De Basanti.[6] In 2012, he played a cameo in Anurag Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 2, which also featured Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Manoj Bajpayee.[7] In 2015, he was the casting director for Kabir Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijan, starring Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan.[8] In the same year, he did the casting for Bombay Velvet, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, Anushka Sharma and Karan Johar.[8] In 2016, he did the casting for Nitesh TIwari's Dangal, starring Aamir Khan, who also produced the film.[9][10]

Mukesh made his directorial debut with Dil Bechara in 2020, featuring Sushant Singh Rajput and Sanjana Sanghi.[11][1][12] In 2020, he was the casting director for Scam 1992, directed by Hansal Mehta.[2] In 2022, he did the casting for Advait Chandan's Laal Singh Chaddha, starring Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan.[13][14] In 2023, he did the casting for Commando by Vipul Amrutlal Shah.[15][16] In the same year, he played a role in Atlee's Jawan, featuring alongside Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.[3][17][18]

In 2023, Chhabra also did the casting for Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu, Vicky Kaushal and Boman Irani.[19][20][4] In the same year, he acted and did the casting for Rohit Jugraj's Chamak and Subhash Kapoor's Kafas, featuring Mona Singh and Sharman Joshi.[1][21][22]

Filmography

as Casting Director

as Film Director

as Actor

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result Ref.(s)
2016 Stardust Awards Special Recognition to a Casting Director Won [23]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Mukesh Chhabra announces his 2nd film as director after 'Dil Bechara' | Exclusive". India Today. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Exclusive Interview | Meet casting director Mukesh Chhabra, the man who found Sushant Singh Rajput". Financialexpress. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Mukesh Chhabra says there were fights between him and Atlee for the first two months over casting for Jawan: 'It was very difficult'". The Indian Express. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Mukesh Chhabra says Shah Rukh Khan's Dunki will be remembered for next 10 years". WION. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  5. ^ Bureau, ABP News (4 April 2023). "From Kai Po Che To Dangal: Top 5 Films That Mukesh Chhabra Did Absolute Justice". news.abplive.com. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Meet Mukesh Chhabra, the man who discovers actors who critics love". Mid-day. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  7. ^ "Mukesh Chhabra reveals funny tale of his 'dance-only role' in 'Gangs of Wasseypur'". The Times of India. 17 June 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Mukesh Chhabra worked as back-up dancer initially while in Delhi". The Times of India. 29 November 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Mukesh Chhabra: Gangs of Wasseypur script had so long that I had to cast 384 actors to create a new world". Hindustan Times. 1 July 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  10. ^ "Dangal to Shubh Mangal Saavdhan: Here's how perfect casting creates blockbusters". Zee News. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  11. ^ "Dil Bechara Director Mukesh Chhabra On Sushant Singh Rajput's Nature: "He Was An Oversensitive Person"". NDTV.com. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  12. ^ "Mukesh Chhabra recalls Sushant Singh Rajput was his first choice for Dil Bechara, says 'after that, I have never seen the film'". The Indian Express. 24 December 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  13. ^ "Aamir Khan threw a party after Laal Singh Chaddha tanked at the box office, says Mukesh Chhabra". Hindustan Times. 3 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  14. ^ "Mukesh Chhabra on 'Laal Singh Chaddha': 'Couldn't believe it was a disaster, but Aamir Khan threw a party because…'". Firstpost. 6 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  15. ^ "Vipul Amrutlal Shah on casting a 'new face' in the form of Prem Parija for 'Commando'". India Forums. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  16. ^ "Commando Teaser: Adah Sharma, Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Shreya Singh Chaudhry, Amit Tigmanshu Dhulia, Sial, Mukesh Chhabra And Ishteyak Khan Starrer Commando Official Teaser | Entertainment - Times of India Videos". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  17. ^ "Mukesh Chhabra: Shah Rukh Khan is the most gracious host". The Times of India. 3 December 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  18. ^ "Mukesh Chhabra reveals how mammoth cast of Shah Rukh Khan's Jawan fell in place: 160 actors and more than a year of prep". The Indian Express. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  19. ^ "'Dunki' Casting Director Mukesh Chhabra Predicts Record-Breaking Success For The Shah Rukh Khan-Starrer Film". Outlook. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  20. ^ "Mukesh Chhabra reacts to fans' high expectations from Shah Rukh Khan, Rajkumar Hirani's Dunki: 'Yeh combination...'". DNA India. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  21. ^ "Exclusive! Mukesh Chhabra on Kafas: The show isn't about the entertainment industry, but..." OTTPlay. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  22. ^ "Kafas actor Mona Singh says she's seen parents trying to realise their acting dreams through their kids: 'They quit their job…'". The Indian Express. 13 July 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  23. ^ "Stardust Awards 2016: Complete List of Winners". NDTV.com. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
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