‘They knew I was Mithun’s son’: Namashi on losing role to actor represented by big agency

Namashi Chakraborty, son of renowned actor Mithun Chakraborty, recounted a disheartening experience in the film industry. His first film, Bad Boy (2023), was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and thus appeared "dated" upon its eventual release in 2023. When speaking to SCREEN, Namashi revealed an incident wherein he auditioned for a prominent Amazon Prime web series.

He believed he performed well in the audition, as he felt he understood the character. However, the casting director revealed that the director, a highly respected figure in the industry, also liked the actor. The casting director, however, noted that Amazon Prime had their own preferences and sometimes overlooked talented actors if they were not favored by the platform.

A month later, it was disclosed that another actor, who was not as well-suited for the role, received the part due to their representation by a prominent agency and backing from a large production house. Namashi expressed disappointment in the industry's bias, stating that even if an actor was perfect for a role, they could still be replaced last minute.

He emphasized that directors and casting directors cannot decide on casting for streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime, as the final decision lies with the platform itself.

Namashi further explained that despite his talent and numerous offers, he was treated as the sixth priority by an agency, as they already had five other talented individuals they were promoting. He questioned the necessity of representation when he was receiving more film offers independently than they provided to their represented talents. Namashi concluded that the current industry structure, which emphasizes marketing and promoting a select few actors, leaves limited opportunities for emerging talents like himself.