Mohammed Nagaman Lateef, head (talent) at Balaji Motion Pictures, Balaji Telefilms and Balaji Digital, has shared his approach to casting reality shows, revealing what he looks for in contestants and reflecting on some of his recent casting decisions. Speaking about casting Shiv Thakare in The 50, Nagaman said, “He had already done many shows, so there was nothing left for him to prove. He had even won Bigg Boss Marathi. Even among 50 contestants, we were 100% confident that Shiv had to be a part of this show and that he would win. And that’s exactly what happened.”On the confidence behind his choices, he added, “Our predictions are usually right because we are at Balaji, and we also follow the Balaji Astro Guide, so our predictions are almost always 100% accurate.” Discussing Urvashi Dholakia and her son Kshitij in Maa Hai Na, he said, “We had never seen them together as a duo before, so Maa Hai Na gave us the opportunity to showcase their beautiful bond. We truly wanted them to win. I do not know what went wrong or why some people did not like it, but for us, they are the real winners.”He also stressed that popularity alone isn’t enough. “Having millions of followers alone does not work. What truly matters is being strong and being open about yourself. That is what I look for, and that is how I do my casting.” Speaking about actor Urvashi Dholakia, he said, “She is exactly the same on her face as she is in reality. If she does not like something, she says so, and if she likes something, she says so.”Nagaman said he prefers taking on difficult assignments. “I do not take up easy projects. I like challenging projects, so I always choose challenging ones.” Acknowledging Ekta Kapoor’s influence on his career, he added, “Everything I know, I have learned from Ekta. My instincts can never be wrong because of her.”
