MUMBAI: Neha Singhania, a dedicated Casting Director in the entertainment industry, is currently riding high on success with several popular shows and projects to her credit. With over sixteen years of experience in the media industry, she has carved a strong and reliable reputation for herself in the casting space.
Interestingly, Neha began her career as a journalist, and her entry into casting happened purely by chance. However, once she stepped into this field, there was no looking back. Over the years, she has established herself as one of the few prominent female casting directors in the industry, admired for her keen eye for talent and professional approach.
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In an exclusive conversation with TellyChakkar.com, Neha opened up about the changing dynamics of the casting world, her journey so far, the challenges of being among the few women in this role, and much more.
We asked Neha about the change in the casting game after the OTT and verticals' boom. She said, "Honestly, OTT/Verticals has turned the casting game upside down—in a good way! Earlier, casting was more about the “known face value.” But with OTT, it’s about authenticity. Today, stories are rooted, real, and experimental, so the need for fresh talent has skyrocketed. Regional actors, new faces, unconventional looks—all are finally getting their due. And that’s the beauty of it—audiences want honesty in performances, not just glamour. For casting directors like me, it’s made the job way more exciting, because the canvas is so much bigger now."
Talking about her most difficult casting till date, Neha said, "Every casting is tough in its own way, but the hardest one was where I had to find actors with very specific cultural and language backgrounds. The pool was tiny, and we auditioned endlessly. On top of that, we had to balance the director’s creative vision with the producer’s market expectations. That’s when casting feels like walking a tightrope! But honestly, the struggle makes the success sweeter—when the right actor finally walks onto set, you forget all the sleepless nights."
We asked Neha about making difficult choices during the casting procedures and standing firm with her decisions. She said, "There’s one project that will always be special because I went with my gut and chose fresh, relatively unknown actors. At that time, people questioned the choice, but those actors ended up winning hearts and critical praise. Some of them are doing really well now. That’s the high of casting—when you take a risk, and it pays off, it feels like you didn’t just cast a role… you launched a career. That’s something I’ll always be proud of."
When asked how female casting directors are treated in the industry as the scene is dominated by males, Neha said, "Yes, it’s true—casting was always seen as a male-heavy space. In the beginning, I definitely felt I had to prove myself twice as much. People would second-guess or underestimate my decisions. But once your work starts speaking, the perception changes. Now, there’s much more respect, and honestly, being a woman brings its own edge—I think we bring a different sensitivity to reading characters and understanding actors. And the best part? More and more women are stepping into this field now, so the balance is shifting. Slowly but surely, the stereotype is breaking."
Well, we wish Neha all the best for her future projects!
For more information and updates from the entertainment world, stay tuned to TellyChakkar.
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