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'3 Idiots' casting director reacts to first-ever Best Casting Oscar
16 Mar 2026

The 98th Academy Awards, held on Monday (IST), saw the introduction of a new category: Best Casting. This award recognizes the crucial role of casting directors in filmmaking.

The first-ever recipient of this honor was Cassandra Kulukundis (One Battle After Another).

In light of this historic win, Variety India spoke to filmmaker and casting director Rohan Mapuskar.

'Casting is half the direction'
Casting's importance

Mapuskar, the casting director for iconic films like 3 Idiots and Ventilator, among others, stressed that casting should be taken seriously.

He said, "Not just casting, all departments in films should get an award."

"It gives you a sense of achievement and pushes you to do even better. I remember it was Rang De Basanti, due to which the term 'casting director' got noticed in India."

"The person who does the casting is half the director."

'We are trying to direct a person, audition him...'
Casting details

Mapuskar added, "When we direct a film, we think about every permutation and combination."

"The same way, when we are casting, we read the character and think about which actor fits the bill."

"We are trying to direct a person, audition him, and present him. These things matter a lot. So, I do feel there should be an award for the Best Casting Director."

'Half the time, films don't work because of wrong casting'
Casting's impact

Actor-casting director Abhishek Banerjee, known for Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Street Dancer 3D, among others, said, "I think for the longest time, every award organization thought that selecting talent is not a talent."

"Half the time, films don't work because of wrong casting."

"That's why some projects don't appeal to you, which might have appealed to you on paper."

"I think that must be the epiphany that's happened, and that's why the Academy came out with this award category."

Films that deserve the Best Casting Director award
Film recommendations

When asked which film deserves a Best Casting Director award, Mapuskar and Banerjee unanimously picked Dhurandhar.

Banerjee also recommended Kohrra for the OTT category.

Meanwhile, other Oscar nominees for Best Casting were Francine Maisler (Sinners), Nina Gold (Hamnet), Jennifer Venditti (Marty Supreme), and Gabriel Domingues (The Secret Agent).