Looking for something?

He thought he could never find the perfect fit for the role. No one really seemed to fit the bill. They were all 20 plus pass outs from the various renowned drama institutes over the country.Yes, most of them could act well.But no one seemed to have that air of nonchalance, that unassuming demeanor that he pictured the character,'Mandira' would possess.

“Is my vision of the character unrealistic? Does no one have that-what is it I want-damn even I can’t think of a word myself to describe the character! How, then can I explain to these actors? Well, we’ll see.”

He got up to address the gathering. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I understand you’ve all come to audition for the part of Mandira and Shoumitra respectively. My young assistant here must have briefed you about the characters you’ll be trying out for.However, before we move on to the second round, let me tell you a little more about the protagonist, Mandira.I want  you all to listen carefully.”

“Where do I begin? Mandira is an amalgamation of all the different women I’ve come across in my life….”

They all smiled and winked each other. “Of course. Had to be misconstrued yet again” He thought to himself. He cleared his throat and began again. “Please do not take this the wrong way. I meant she possesses different qualities-for instance my mother, my sister, my former boss, my college girlfriend-they were a huge part of my life and I’ve taken one quality from each of them and created something unique-Mandira.I find it hard to exactly explain what I’m looking for, but here are a few pointers-I want you to be the exact opposite of the girly stereotype. As in, the stereotype that society has of girls-the love of the color pink, the enthusiasm to shop, the whole susheel kanya thing? Do not want that in the character. Mandira is a tomboy-she hangs out with guys, is a little rebellious but knows her boundaries, very mature, unassuming, and has an air of nonchalance about her. She’s a photographer.Basically,I want to convey that women can be very diverse, and the women these days are not what they are shown like on those regressive saas-bahu sagas. This is purely a realistic portrayal of the modern Indian girl. So now I’d like you all to start with the auditions in five mins, after rehearsing the script.”

Phew.He breathed a sigh of relief. He hoped he’d been able to make people understand what he wanted.

To be continued……