Veteran actress Soni Razdan, who is playing a pivotal role in the upcoming show 'Call My Agent: Bollywood', has in the last three years appeared in more than five projects and made her presence felt on-screen.
Despite being a fine actress and theatre artiste who in her youth acted in some of the critically acclaimed films like '36 Chowringhee Lane', 'Mandi', and 'Saaransh', to name a few, Soni is getting her due only recently with films like 'Raazi', 'No Fathers in Kashmir', 'War', 'Yours Truely', web series like 'Out Of Love', and 'The Verdict - State vs Nanavati'.
The upcoming show 'Call My Agent: Bollywood' revolves around four talent agents and how they handle the egos and profiles of actors to survive in their talent management company.
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Asked if the whole system of casting agents and talent management gives actors like her deserving work, Soni told IANS: "I think getting the opportunity especially for elder actors like us, is quite a two-way process. Casting for certain projects has to arise first and then the casting agent will reach out to an actor like me. Opportunity for an actor happens when a character is written for us, a story is made in the form of film, web series, or any format. So, when we talk about opportunity, it is not just about my acting or casting but finding a script and a platform to exhibit that story too."
"Now see, not all scripts and every story can be exhibited on the big screen but still can have a wider reach. Netflix or any other OTT platforms are those spaces that enable these stories to see the light of the day. Hence actors like us are also getting work," said Soni, the mother of Bollywood star Alia Bhatt.
She further added, "Yes, my casting in all the projects that I have done in recent times has happened through casting agents but opportunity first comes from writing. Having said that, the whole process of a casting agent and talent management is good, it is very systematic and well organised."
Directed by Shaad Ali, 'Call My Agent: Bollywood', the Indian adaptation of a French show, featuring Aahana Kumra, Ayush Mehra, Rajat Kapoor along with cameos of several Bollywood celebrities - Farah Khan, Ali Fazal, Richa Chadha, Lara Dutta, Jackie Shroff, Dia Mirza, releases on October 29 on Netflix.
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