DISCOVERED OR DUMPED?

MAHESH CHHABRA OFFERS PRO TIPS

- By Manjusha Radhakrishnan Entertainment Editor

So, you want to be Bollywood's next big thing? Before you pack your bags for Mumbai or slide into a producer's DMs, hear it from the horse’s mouth — the man who launched the careers of the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput, Rajkummar Rao, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and that unicorn we call Pankaj Tripathi.

Yes, the Mukesh Chhabra. Straight from our chat in Dubai, here are his top no-filter tips to get discovered — or dumped.

And remember, Mukesh is the anti-Joey's-agent from Friends. He's got receipts, respect, and a Rolodex to die for - but zero tolerance for entitlement. If you want in, come with talent, tenacity, and a thick skin.

Translation? If you walk into the room and don't spark his sixth sense, you're out before the audition reel rolls. He's not swiping right unless you give that main character energy from hello.

"They're talented, but they can't move to Bombay [Mumbai] - that's the problem."

Tough love alert: If you can't handle the humidity, heartbreak, and housing prices of Mumbai, the epic centre of Bollywood, this industry isn't for you. Mukesh will spot your talent, but you've got to show up for yourself.