Gangs of Wasseypur (GOW), is the first Hindi film I remember, where casting director played a huge role. I don't think casting of films was taken seriously before this in India. In this two-part movie, each and every character had his or her unique personality. No one else could have played Faisal better than Nawazuddin Siddiqui or Ramadhir Singh better than Tigmanshu Dhulia. It felt like that these faces and body types were meant to play these roles. A crime film about mafia, goons and dons had Faisal play this much feared gangster. A gangster who looked not like one. He looked starved. Before this, Hindi Films always had these goons who were bulky and looked fearsome. I think the casting of GOW was a winner.
Another interesting aspect here was the character arc, each goon had. Each of them had their own back story and own motive. This was new. Before this an actor playing a henchman / goon / policeman (until and unless the main plot revolves around him) was easily replaceable with any other actor. These goondas (henchmen) didn't really have a voice. Their loyalties always lied with the main villain. There was no existential crisis ever. Their job was to bash lesser characters and get bashed by the heroes. Sometimes they will get extended roles, where they will get to do a little more, like a dialogue or two. Or kidnap hero's girl friend. But mostly you wouldn't care much about these henchmen. Similarly policemen in Hindi films were almost always shown as these undisciplined officers who don't have a real voice. They just bark orders they receive from some one senior. And they reach late on crime scenes. Only when hero is the policeman, they are better off.
This led to a situation where stereotyped characters were played by stereotyped actors. So in umpteen Hindi films we saw M.B. Shetty (Yes, he is director Rohit Shetty's father) playing a nameless goon or a henchman named Shetty. So imaginative! He rarely spoke in his films. So I don't remember him for his histrionics. I remember him because he was such a cliche about how a goon should look like that he appeared in every goon role possible. Here is the list of his filmography
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| Shetty |
There are few more actors, whom you will remember seeing playing henchmen, in several Hindi movies from 70's to 90's but most probably won't know their names. They had their time under the sun when cliches ruled the roost. They might have even got one or two bigger roles. But they remained henchmen till the end. Sudhir, Mac Mohan and Mahesh Anand are some names that come to the mind. They are better known because they played the same role so many times, that some one had to ask. Who is he?
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| Iftekhar |
Policemen and Law enforcers didn't do any better in this aspect. Iftekhar almost always played a policeman (of course of varying ranks and orders). Yes, he had played leading roles in his prime and had also played other characters too. But he has played the highly stereotyped, nice but ineffective policeman, so many times on screen that you won't remember him for anything else. Then there was Manmohan Krishna who was quintessential Seth ji, the man with the money and silken robe and a cigar. Sometimes, heroine's father too. But essentially another nice guy stereotype. There is a scene from the movie Trishul, where Shetty had a little bigger role with dialogues. And he had a character name too. Madhav Singh. Incidentally, this film also had Iftekhar and Manmohan Krishna playing some characters, cast against type. (Click here to view the video.)
Clearly, a casting director's job (if there was any) in Hindi films from 60's to 90's was relatively easy. "Take two Shetties, one Sudhir, one Iftekhaar and lets take Dharmendra as the hero. Heroine? Anyone who is willing to dance in front of these henchmen."
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My theme for this year's #AtoZchallenge is Hindi Film Industry / Bollywood cliches. You can read the theme reveal post here.
2017 Challenge Post from Letter H: Haan... Maine Bhi Pyaar Kiya Hai - A post about a film I never watched but still is memorable. Click here to read.
2018 Challenge Post from Letter H: Holidays that were memorable - A post listing some really cool holidays I have had in the past. Click here to read.
