Isha Talwar Stayed Silent On Shanoo Sharma's 'Weird' Audition Process For 10 Years: 'Fear Of…'

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5 days ago

Actor Isha Talwar accused YRF casting director Shanoo Sharma of a "weird" audition process. She called out a news portal for deleting the comment, however clarified it later.
Mirzapur actor Isha Talwar, who exposed YRF casting lead Shanoo Sharma for her 'weird" audition process, took to Instagram with a fresh allegation. She claimed that the media portal where Shanoo gave an interview, and under which she had commented, had deleted her bold remark against the casting director. In the following post, she clarified that the comment wasn't deleted and admitted her mistake. However, she hailed herself for finally speaking up about something that has been bothering her for the past 10 years.
In her first Instagram story posted earlier today, Isha Talwar tagged the media portal where Shanoo Sharma had given an interview and said that her bold comment, in which she called the casting director out, had been deleted. 'Mera COMMENT DELETE Kar diya hai, janta se bohot support mila, powerful logon ne phir saazish ki hai …. delete karwa diya…. Next story mein screenshot daal rahi hoon comment ka ….Jinko nahin pata shanoo sharma ek ache level ki casting director hain par harkatein kuch ajeeb hai (sic)," she wrote. It can be loostely translated to, 'I got a lot of support from the public, but powerful people have conspired again… got it deleted… In the next story, I'm posting a screenshot of the comment.
For those who don't know, Shanoo Sharma is a casting director of a good level, but her actions are a bit strange."
In the following story, Isha admitted that she had mistakenly accused the outlet of deleting her comment. 'Delete nahin kiya comment. My bad," she wrote, tagging the publication. The actor explained that she had confused two similar-looking videos, which led to the misunderstanding.
Despite the mix-up, Arisha expressed relief that her thoughts were now public, revealing that she had held back from speaking out for a decade due to fear of losing work. 'What I had to say is out there at least! Out of my fear of not getting work, I didn't share it for 10 long years," she added. Take a look:
What were Isha Talwar's accusations against Shanoo Sharma?
Recently, Isha Talwar, known for her acclaimed roles in Mirzapur, Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo, and Article 15, spoke out against a bizarre and uncomfortable audition experience she had with YRF casting director Shanoo Sharma.
'I was told I should have no inhibitions as an actor and hence should be able to cry at a table with Shanoo and her assistants watching me," Isha wrote as a reply to a user on Instagram. Calling the experience 'confusing and weird," she added that it 'shattered [her] confidence as a young girl in films."
Isha criticised the lack of professionalism, arguing that casting directors should either arrange an appropriate space for auditions or cover the cost of a controlled venue. Choosing to stand by her principles, she declined to audition in such conditions and, as expected, lost the role. Still, she says she has no regrets about her decision. 'At least I didn't give in to the weird ask and surely didn't cry at a restaurant for a role!" she wrote, ending her post with the hashtag #DignityFirstAlways," she said.
Soon after, Manipuri actor Bijou Thaangjam reacted to Isha Talwar's comment on Instagram, revealing that he had a similar experience with Shanoo Sharma too.
Reacting to Isha Talwar's comment about her audition experience with Shanoo Sharma, Bijou Thaangjam commented, '@talwarisha I hear you! My very first film audition was with her, for Byomkesh Bakshy. I wasn't fluent in Hindi, not very confident, but hopeful to give it my best. And just like your experience, I was asked to perform a scene right in front of a café, the one that used to be called Bru World, Yari Road. I didn't give in. A few days later, her assistant called me back for a proper studio audition. But by then, I had already signed Mary Kom." Bijou played the role of Naobi in Omung Kumar's 2014 film Mary Kom, starring Priyanka Chopra.
First Published:
August 10, 2025, 19:20 IST
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