Casting

Lyman leaned back slightly in his chair as he watched Dhiren Kumar leave. He leisurely finished the cup of Blue Mountain coffee he had ordered. The involvement of Eros International in the project was the most significant achievement of this trip. Without them, the filming of this movie would not have gone smoothly. The idea of completing the shooting in two months would have been a joke.

Even though Lyman and George were confident that a local film company would be willing to cooperate before everything was settled, they couldn't help but feel nervous.

Lyman sat quietly, savoring the taste of the coffee. The lingering sweetness still lingered, providing great satisfaction to his spirit. It is said that coffee can provide a sense of happiness, and it was indeed true. Out of the corner of his eye, Lyman noticed George's relaxed expression so he looked up and said, "Let's go, back to the hotel."

After speaking, he stood up straight, patted George's shoulder gently, and walked straight out of the cafe. George understood instantly, silently paid the bill, and quickly caught up with Lyman, who had already left.

...

Bollywood is the abbreviation for Bollywood Studios. The name originated from Indians replacing the letter "h" in Hollywood with the letter "b" from their film capital, Mumbai (formerly Bombay). Thus, "Hollywood" became "Bollywood".

After spending the night at the hotel, Lyman and George went to the headquarters of Eros International the next day. They were informed that the first round of auditions could begin in the afternoon. In a commercial building, this Indian company had rented the entire first to third floors.

The place was spacious, and the department's operations were well-organized. As they walked, various offices were divided into different areas. They arrived at the distribution department on the second floor, where Dhiren Kumar was already waiting.

After exchanging pleasantries, they used a makeshift conference room as the audition venue. There was a large table, and four people were seated behind it: Lyman, George, Dhiren Kumar from Eros International, and a production supervisor named Kaman.

In front of the table was a camera, and an unidentified staff member was fiddling with it. Lyman and George were naturally the main examiners for today's auditions, while the other two were just there to join in the fun and provide translation, as well as to ensure the rights and interests of their actors.

In addition to the five people in the conference room, there were two Eros International employees. One was responsible for calling the actors for the auditions from another lounge, and the other was assisting from the side, performing odd jobs and possibly even temporarily appearing as extras.

Dhiren Kumar brought four sets of materials for him and George, two each. In one set of materials, there was a list of actors confirmed to participate in the auditions today, a thin stack with about twenty-something copies. The other set was a thick stack containing profiles of actors registered with the Indian Screen Actors Guild who matched the character qualities required by Lyman. There were probably over a hundred copies.

Looking at these lists, Lyman thought to himself: Is Bollywood doing well? They have so many backup actors, almost rivaling the reserves of French actors.

It's not surprising that Lyman was ignorant of this. In recent years, Bollywood movies had been flourishing, making a name for themselves and gaining popularity in Russia and even some Arab countries. They were gradually moving towards international development, and their strength was also increasing. Indian cinema could be considered a prominent genre in certain regions.

Lyman organized the audition list, categorizing the small stack, with the main characters, such as Rancho's roommates Farhan and Raju, being the most important choices for this trip. Aamir Khan, due to not being in Mumbai at the moment, would take a few more days to meet. However, his schedule was not a problem. They could discuss things once they met. With his thoughts in order, Lyman said a few words to Dhiren Kumar.

Dhiren Kumar gestured to the staff member waiting by the door to start calling. Soon, a young man entered the audition conference room.

Laku Havan, a local from Mumbai, 26 years old, 176cm tall, weighing 65kg.

Lyman quickly skimmed through the profile and looked up at the actor, his eyes brightening. This guy had a simple and down-to-earth appearance. If they added a pair of glasses, did some makeup, and styled his hair, he would be a good fit for the character Farhan. At least, he looked quite honest and sincere in terms of appearance and demeanor.

"Director, gentlemen, my name is Laku. I have previously appeared in a TV drama..."

Laku Havan introduced himself incessantly, his voice resonating powerfully. Although it was difficult to understand since he was speaking in an Indian language, it seemed like he had practiced, as his delivery skills were quite good.

Lyman was even more satisfied in his heart. He interrupted Laku Havan's introduction and said directly, "Alright, now I need you to perform. Let's say you failed your university exam, but your close friend, who excelled in academics, comes to console you. How would you react?"

Dhiren Kumar translated this sentence, and Laku Havan pondered for a moment before asking, "Should I just perform like this?" After hearing Dhiren Kumar's translation, Lyman nodded, indicating that he should begin. The staff member handling the camera quickly adjusted the angle and started recording.

Laku Havan took a deep breath. First, his expression turned annoyed, and he exclaimed loudly to the empty air, "I failed the exam. What's the use of saying these things to me..."

Lyman couldn't understand the Indian language, and he didn't need Dhiren Kumar's translation. He could complete the casting process just by observing the actor's overall emotional changes and physical expressions.

However, it was evident that this young man's performance was quite stiff. His facial expressions constantly drooped, and his movements were exaggerated. With his excited demeanor, one could expect him to break into a full-fledged Indian song and dance routine at any moment. Lyman found this performance somewhat headache-inducing and couldn't bear to watch.

Finally, when Laku Havan finished his performance, Lyman redirected his attention back to the stage. He understood why an actor who looked so honest and sincere, with decent qualifications, still hadn't gained much fame at this point and was only playing supporting roles in TV dramas that wouldn't last more than three episodes.

"Director, how did he perform?" Dhiren Kumar faithfully completed his translation work.

"It's alright, not bad. At least, he didn't appear timid during the performance." Lyman spoke a few encouraging words, followed by saying, "Let him go back and wait for the results. We'll inform him through a phone call about the specific audition results."

Dhiren Kumar understood that the first actor hadn't impressed Lyman. Saying to wait for the results was just an excuse. This phrase was commonly used in the entertainment industry worldwide to politely reject someone. Laku Havan naturally understood as well. Feeling somewhat dejected, he left the audition room.

The next few actors had similar appearances and met the character requirements. It seemed that Eros International did pay attention to this aspect. However, when it came to acting skills, it was hard to say. Even if they had excellent physical appearances, their performances were awkward, and they wouldn't pass Lyman's standards.

After more than two hours had passed, they had only found two preferred roles: Chatur, the student who believed in grades, and the salesman of everyday goods on campus. These two characters didn't have many scenes, so the main roles still hadn't been cast.

Halfway through the auditions, a tall and slim actor walked in. Lyman's hand holding the profile documents paused. This actor's appearance and demeanor perfectly matched the character Raju in the play. He just hoped that his acting wouldn't be too exaggerated.

Sharman Joshi, 23 years old, a Gujarati, with experience in two films. He came from an artistic family, and his father was also from a theatrical background.

"You will perform a scene where you come from a poor family, your father is in poor health, and your family hopes you will study hard. However, you fail an important exam, and the principal wants to inform your parents about your grades. You feel despair and contemplate suicide to escape reality."

A lengthy sentence was conveyed to Sharman. After listening, he silently contemplated for a while, closed his eyes to gather his emotions, and made a gesture indicating that he was ready. The camera lens focused on him, capturing his subtle facial expressions.

His eyes were full of emotions, and his reactions weren't as intense as the previous auditionees. He simply bowed his head silently, wearing a pained expression, as if he had recalled something unpleasant. Then, he slowly slumped to the ground, his eyes reflecting regret and fear...

Seeing this, Lyman's heart clenched.

It was a very impactful performance. Although the transitions in his expressions weren't completely natural, he genuinely pondered and immersed himself in the situation, conveying the conflicting emotions of guilt and fear of disappointing his parents. This was what Lyman was looking for. As for the actors who auditioned for this role before, they hadn't thought about all these nuances. They only cried, or even wailed, but they couldn't achieve this silent grief.

"Alright, that's enough," Lyman said to Dhiren Kumar.

At his signal, Sharman immediately regained his composure and stood up from the ground.

"Discuss the role of Raju with him, and if the remuneration is not a problem, he will be our choice." Upon hearing this, Dhiren Kumar quickly beckoned, and another staff member, entrusted with the task, gestured for Sharman to enter the adjacent meeting room, where the actor contract was prepared.