How casting non-actors made for authentic storytelling in Taproot Dentsu's film for Facebook

Hiring non-actors allows a whole new dimension on set, and in the characters portrayed. Vishant says, “Irrespective of being an actor or a non-actor, every individual has something to offer as an artist. The less they are trained in acting, the more organic the performance,” adding that “a non-actor does not adhere to a certain way of presenting themselves on camera, which many working actors are wary of. The only challenge is to be able to make them comfortable in front of the camera and the technicalities that a working actor is more knowledgeable about.”

In the run-up to shooting the film, Vishant scouted “not only actors in the local region, but also people who have never been in front of a camera before” as a means to retain authenticity. He says, “It's very seldom that we come across a story from the semi-urban or rural parts of the country. We scouted for people who live and breathe the atmosphere and have an inclination towards acting. The whole process was quite challenging but it was equally exciting.” To tap into local talent and combat the unique challenges of hiring non-actors, Vishant ran a couple of workshops with the casting team in and around Amritsar. “They were quite intensive and rejuvenating at the same time,” he says.

When building the cast, Sharma takes a multitude of variables into consideration, one of which is staying true to the region he's shooting in. “Our country is a melting pot of multiple beliefs and a rich and colourful culture that is unparalleled by any other country.” For the Facebook film, which is specifically set in the small town of Amritsar, he says, “I cannot bluff; in one way or another everyone has had contact with either the Punjabi culture, or the people, or has seen or read about them. So when I go about choosing the cast it becomes imperative that I get the correct dialect and the right faces. I went to these small towns surrounding Amritsar and held hundreds of auditions over a course of multiple days very carefully looking for that face that would do justice to the beautiful story.”

Once the outline and treatment for the film was created, the most important parts followed suit: location and casting combined. “We got into the process of looking for the perfect setting for the story,” Sharma says, “and with this film, I felt that a small town like Amritsar would do it justice”. Using the location as an extension of the cast itself, the team “then progressed to finding the key faces for the film, and I always like faces that viewers can relate to, and people we identify with in our daily lives.”

For Sharma, the importance of strategic casting cannot be downplayed. When asked about why so much attention should be placed into casting, he says, “let me answer this metaphorically; imagine you order a cup of your favourite coffee, and the waiter serves it just the way you like it. You taste it, and the consistency and sugar levels are perfect, but there is no aroma. Would you still enjoy it? Or would you immediately know that there is something missing. That is what a strong cast does to the film. You can get your point across with anyone, but the perfect cast is that aroma which is so important.”

He adds, “Like Martin Scorsese once said of his favourite films: The ones that he goes back to repeatedly pull him not because of the plot or story but because of the characters...I feel like if you have the right cast you can make a film memorable.”