Stree actor Abhishek Banerjee steps down from casting duties after 10 years: 'I want to write and produce'

Abhishek Banerjee. Pic via Instagram

After spending nearly a decade juggling two demanding careers, actor Abhishek Banerjee has decided to step away from one of them. The Stree actor has announced that he is moving on from his casting duties and making a complete exit from Casting Bay, the company he co-founded with Anmol Ahuja around 10 years ago.

Why he stepped away

The decision, he admits, was far from easy. But with a packed acting schedule and his desire to explore writing and producing, Banerjee felt it was time to close this chapter and make space for what comes next.

Speaking to HT City, Banerjee explained that managing the administrative side of a casting company alongside his shooting commitments had become increasingly difficult. "I think it was any which way very difficult for me to handle any kind of company work and administrative work because of my shooting schedules," he said.

For the actor, casting is also not a job that can simply be handled from a distance. "I don't believe in doing casting without being in the casting rooms. So for me that was very important," he added.

Banerjee said he eventually realised that he could no longer give Casting Bay the time and attention it deserved. "I thought if I am not able to give hundred per cent in something, then what's the whole point of doing it? It's better to let the youngsters take over and let them do the job."

Another major reason behind the move was avoiding any possible conflict between his two professional identities. Over the years, questions have occasionally been raised about Banerjee being both an actor and casting director. While he pointed out that there were "hardly any projects" where his acting and casting responsibilities overlapped, he felt it was best to remove any ambiguity. "But still I felt that let's avoid the conflict of interest," he said.

What's next for Abhishek Banerjee?

Stepping away from Casting Bay does not mean Banerjee has completely turned his back on the casting world. "I'm not saying that I won't do anything in casting. Maybe in the future I'll be planning something, but not as a casting director for sure," he said, adding that he hopes to contribute towards making the profession more organised and democratic.

For now, acting remains his focus. Banerjee, who has featured in films such as Go Goa Gone, Stree, Dream Girl and its sequel, has also become a familiar face on OTT with projects including Mirzapur, Paatal Lok and The Family Man. Mirzapur: The Movie is among his upcoming releases.

But there is more on his mind. "I want to write, I want to produce," Banerjee said. "Sometimes you have to move on from some place to reach somewhere else."

After a decade of discovering talent behind the scenes while building his own acting career, Banerjee is now ready to see what the next act holds.