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After Isha Talwar, Abhinav Shukla recalls casting director Shanoo Sharma told him he lacked spark: 'Insults are an opportunity'

Updated on: 11 August,2025 08:33 PM IST  |  Mumbai
mid-day online correspondent |

Days after Isha Talwar spoke against YRF's casting director Shanoo Sharma, claiming she shattered her confidence as a young girl, actor Abhinav Shukla has opened up, sharing his experience with Shanoo and how she 'insulted' him

After Isha Talwar, Abhinav Shukla recalls casting director Shanoo Sharma told him he lacked spark: 'Insults are an opportunity'

Abhinav SHukla and Shanoo Sharma

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After Isha Talwar, Abhinav Shukla recalls casting director Shanoo Sharma told him he lacked spark: 'Insults are an opportunity'
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Television actor Abhinav Shukla recently opened up about his experience with YRF's casting director Shanoo Sharma, recalling her harsh comments. He shared that Sharma told him he lacked 'spark.' Notably, his revelation comes just days after Isha Talwar recalled her own 'weird' audition, wherein she was asked to cry in the middle of a restaurant. The  Mirzapur actress said she found the request strange and walked away; however, the experience had shattered her confidence.

Abhinav Shukla recalls his experience with Shanoo Sharma


Taking to his Instagram story on Monday, August 11, Abhinav wrote, "When my movie Roar was slated to release back in the day i was cajoled by my well-wishers to go meet Yash Raj Films 's casting director. I did and she told me: 'You are a good looking guy but thats it, spark is missing, you can audition but...'" (sic)



He further wrote, "Few years down the line i was sitting face to face with Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sir for his next Inshaallah. I remember SLB was all praise, all appreciative and asked me many times, 'How come you haven't worked so much? I saw the audition, you are super talented.'" (sic)

He concluded by tagging Isha and wrote, "The movie got shelved, my destiny took a turn! @talwarisha I can relate, and i think insults are an opportunity to meet the people who value your talent & time!" (sic)

Isha Talwar's revelation

A few days ago, in the comment section of a post by a publication, Isha Talwar revealed, "So when I started auditioning for roles with Shanoo...I was told to perform a scene at a restaurant called Mia Cucina in Versova, Bombay... a CRYING scene in the middle of a busy working restaurant with customers dining next to my table... I was told I should have no inhibitions as an actor and hence I should be able to do a crying scene with Shanoo sitting in front of me and some of her assistants... it was such a confusing/weird ask (sic)."

She further wrote, "It shattered my confidence as a young girl in films... I couldn't understand why a senior casting director needed to put a young girl through this... it's only fair that an actor is given a good casting office space to be able to audition in... or if you want to do a real location, then hire a spot, pay for it and audition(sic)."

The 37-year-old actor concluded her comment saying, "Anyway, just putting this story a decade later for all the newcomers to tell you that feel no pressure... I do remember saying I can't do it and of course, I never got the role... but at least I didn't give in to the weird ask and surely didn't cry at a restaurant for a role (sic)."

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