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Actress Isha Talwar, recognised for her work in Mirzapur, Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo, and Article 15, has opened up about an unusual and unsettling audition experience involving YRF casting director Shanoo Sharma. Sharing her account on social media, she also offered words of caution to aspiring actors entering the industry.

Responding in detail to a post by a publication, Isha described an audition that left her disturbed. She explained that she had been instructed to perform an emotional, crying sequence in the middle of Mia Cucina, a busy restaurant in Versova, Mumbai, while surrounded by actual diners and staff.

Isha questioned the reasoning behind conducting an audition in such an open, unprofessional setting. She stated that a casting director should either arrange for a proper space or bear the cost of hiring a controlled location. She ultimately declined to go through with the scene under those circumstances and did not secure the part, but said she felt no remorse about her decision. According to her, she was glad she had not agreed to such an odd request and took pride in prioritising her self-respect.

Her account has fuelled ongoing debates about professionalism and boundaries in Bollywood’s casting practices, particularly for fresh talent striving to establish themselves.

In a parallel development, Shanoo Sharma has recently been in the news for introducing Ahaan Panday and Aneet Padda in YRF’s forthcoming film Saiyaara. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter India, she revealed that she had first noticed Ahaan when he was 19 years old and had found him intriguing from the outset, immediately feeling that they would collaborate in the future. She added that although he was 19 at the time, he appeared younger, and she had initially come across him through an online post before reaching out to him directly.