MUMBAI: Shoaib Ibrahim narrated his struggle on YouTube live. The actor recalled his tough days in the industry. He would attend fake casting calls to be able to 'learn lines' and prepare.

Shoaib said that he went against his father's wishes to pursue a career in the industry but arrived at a compromise where he'd be able to do both side-by-side.

He said, "Dad told me to complete my studies first, and then we'd see what happens. I didn't know anyone in the film industry, so my struggle began in Bhopal. I used to go for whatever auditions I could find. I knew they were fake auditions, and that they would demand money, but I'd still go just to be able to rehearse delivering dialogues."

Shoaib shared how he got his first job in the industry. He auditioned for a producer in Bhopal, but didn't hear from him for several days. After dropping daily messages, he even called the producer up but was told off. He assumed he'd blown the opportunity, but one day after giving an exam, he received a call from the producer, who told him to come to Mumbai the first thing in the morning for the final auditions.

Shoaib's father arranged emergency tickets for them to travel to Mumbai that evening, and when Shoaib reached the studio, he saw that there were around a dozen other candidates waiting to audition. Later, the list decreased to around four people. He said that after the final round, he was once again met with silence. He said, "There was no response. He wasn't replying to messages or answering calls. In fact, he was declining to take my calls. It's understandable, I'd really annoyed him. But I was down and out at that time."

Shoaib and his father decided that it probably wasn't going to work out, but thought that they should visit Haji Ali dargah now that they were in Mumbai. At the dargah, Shoaib said that he prayed for things to work out with tears in his eyes. He was on his way back in a local train when he got the producer's call that he'd been selected.

Credits: Hindustan Times