Raashul Tandon SLAMS fillmmakers for casting influencers over trained actors; ‘Do they queue up for auditions?’

The trend of casting social media influencers and content creators in films and shows is nothing new. Since the pandemic, many internet personalities with large online followings but little acting experience have been given roles in big productions. The topic has come up again after journalist Saurabh Dwivedi was criticized for his acting debut in 'Kartavya.' Actor Raashul Tandon has now spoken out about this trend. According to her, production houses and streaming platforms are choosing people based on their social media following rather than their acting skills.Known for his work in films like ‘Pink’ and ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani,' Raashul Tandon recently took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the matter, addressing both Saurabh Dwivedi's performance in ‘Kartavya’ and the broader issue of content creators being handed acting roles in mainstream projects. He said, “Kal raat maine Netflix pe film dekhi Kartavya, and jisne nahi dekhi, I am sure saare memes aapne dekh liye honge. Saurabh Dwivedi ji, jo journalist hain, unhone main antagonist play kiya hai. Abhi kuch time pehle ek film aayi thi, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar, jisme ek bahut hi famous aur kamaal ke comedian, Anubhav Singh Bassi, the. Aise hi Ajay sir ki film thi Runway 34; usme Ajey Nagar ji, Carryminati, the. Ye teeno log apne apne field me kamaal ke hain. Inka koi saani nahi hai. Aapko kya lagta hai, ye log line me lag ke audition dete honge, shortlist hote honge, and phir ek din woh golden call aata hoga. Nahi!"He added, “I saw Kartavya last night. Even those who haven’t watched it must have seen the memes. Journalist Saurabh Dwivedi has played the antagonist in it. A few years ago, brilliant comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi was in Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar. Similarly, Ajey Nagar was in Ajay Devgn’s Runway 34. These three are brilliant at what they do. They are peerless. But what do you think? Do they queue up for auditions in films? "No!"Raashul went on to shed light on the business logic that drives such casting decisions, pointing out that big production houses and streaming platforms often rope in popular online figures purely to capitalize on their ready-made fan base. "The biggest of the production houses, streaming platforms, approach them so that they can use their fan following because there is so much money at stake. But eventually that doesn't happen. But there is a difference between being famous online and being an actor enough to emote that particular feeling on screen," he said.Turning his attention directly to producers and streaming platforms, Raashul made a passionate plea on behalf of trained actors who he feels are being overlooked in favor of online fame. “I understand face value; I understand poster value. But please give us the roles where we fit. We are actors. We might not be that famous online, but we are good enough. There are so many good actors struggling to find a good role, kyunki ek kaam se doosra kaam milta hai," he added.Raashul didn't just blame the industry; he also said that audiences have a part to play in changing things. He believes that viewers need to be more careful about what they watch and engage with online. He said, “The solution is that, as a viewer, you manage your feed. Don’t watch these cringe reels. Why? In the West, so many great shows like Breaking Bad and Seinfeld are made, but we are unable to make them. We are recycling the same old concepts because we can’t absorb new. This slight change is free of cost. But if you do it, the big production houses and platforms will feel the audience is changing. They will be ready and confident to put a lot of money on something new."In the caption, Raashul wrote, “This is not just about one actor or one film. It reflects what we celebrate as an audience. When society starts valuing performance over popularity, the industry will also start creating space for actors who may not be famous yet but truly deserve to be seen."Journalist Saurabh Dwivedi made his acting debut in 'Kartavya,' but it did not go well with the audience. He played the role of a self-proclaimed godman in the film directed by Pulkit, and many viewers were quick to criticize his performance online.‘Kartavya’ features Saif Ali Khan in the lead role of a small-town cop who finds himself investigating a murder connected to the character played by Saurabh Dwivedi. The film also has Rasika Dugal and Sanjay Mishra in important roles and is now available to stream on Netflix.