A Project Submitted to

UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI

For partial completion of the Degree of

MASTER OF COMMERCE
In BUSINESS STUDIES
SEMESTER IV
2019-2020

Under the Faculty of Commerce

Submitted by:

ANVIT BALIGA

SAP No. 53010180003

Under the Guidance of

ASST. PROF. NARESH SUKHANI

USHA PRAVIN GANDHI COLLEGE OF ARTS,

SCIENCE & COMMERCE
VILE PARLE (W)
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Mr. ANVIT BALIGA, as worked and duly completed
his Project Work for the degree of Masters in Commerce under the Faculty
of Commerce in the subject of Business Studies and his / her Project is
entitled “A STUDY OF SELECTION METHODS IN BOLLYWOOD”,
Under my supervision.

I further certify that the entire work has been done by the learner under my
guidance and no part of it has been submitted previously for any Degree or
Diploma of any University.

It is his own work and facts reported by his personal findings &
investigation.

DATE OF SUBMISSION: - 2ND July, 2020

_______________________ Internal Project Guide

External Examiner Mr. NARESH SUKHANI

_________________________
Signature of Principal College Seal
Dr. A. Kapoor
 DECLARATION BY LEARNER

I the undersigned, Mr. ANVIT BALIGA hereby, declare that the work
embodied in the project work titled, “A STUDY OF SELECTION
METHODS IN BOLLYWOOD”, forms my own contribution to research
work carried out under the guidance of “NARESH SUKHANI”, is the
Result of my own research work and has not been previously submitted to
any University, for any Degree or Diploma to this or any other University.

Wherever reference has been made to previous works of others it has been
clearly indicated as such and included in Bibliography.

I, hereby further declare that the information submitted is true and original
to the best of my knowledge and all the information of this document has
been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical
conduct.

_______________________ Signature of Student

Certified by, (ANVIT BALIGA)
Internal Project Guide – Mr. NARESH SUKHANI
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank USHA PRAVIN GANDHI COLLEGE OF

MANGEMENT & the faculty members of M.COM for giving me an
opportunity to prepare a project on "A STUDY OF SELECTION
METHODS IN BOLLYWOOD". It has truly been an invaluable learning
experience. Completing a task is never one man's effort. It is often the result
of invaluable contribution of number of individuals in direct or indirect way
in shaping success and achieving it.

I would like to thank principal of the college Dr. A. Kapoor and Co-
coordinator Prof. NARESH SUKHANI for granting permission for this
project. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude and appreciation to A.
Prof. NARESH SUKHANI who guided me in the study of this project. It
has indeed been a great learning, experiencing and working under him
during the course of the project.

I would like to appreciate all my colleagues and family members who gave
me support and backing and always came forward whenever a helping hand
was needed. I would like to express my gratitude to all those who gave me
the possibility to complete this thesis.
 NO PLAGIARISM DECLARATION BY THE
STUDENT

I, the undersigned, hereby declare that the project titled “A STUDY OF

SELECTION METHODS IN BOLLYWOOD”
(a) Has been prepared by me towards the partial fulfillment for the award of
Post-Graduation - Masters in M.Com – Business Management under the
guidance of Prof, Mr. Naresh Sukhani
Usha Pravin Gandhi college of Arts, Science & Commerce, Vile Parle
(W), Mumbai.
(b) This work is original and has not been submitted for any degree/diploma
in this or any other Institute/Organization.
(c) The information furnished in this dissertation is genuine and original to
the best of my knowledge and belief.
(d) I have not indulged in plagiarism. The project report has been checked
for plagiarism and output report has been attached.

______________________ __________________________
Student Name: Anvit Baliga Signature
Place: Mumbai Date: 2ND July, 2020
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Indian cinemas began as a simple silent movie industry in the early

1930’s. But by the turn of the century “Bollywood” was already a billion-
dollar industry. Within a span of 20 years Bollywood today is close to a
$180 billion-dollar industry. This is set to reach over $260 billion dollars
by the year 2024. Bollywood produces over a thousand movies in various
languages including Hindi, Marathi, Urdu, English, Bengali, Gujrati on a
yearly basis making it one of the most culturally diverse industries in the
world. Bollywood movies entertain over 3.6 billion people all over the
world. That is over half of the world’s population.
With such enormous demand for Bollywood movies, one would assume
that at its core the Bollywood industry is a well-oiled machine; efficiently
functioning and providing its large audience with unlimited entertainment
year over year. But quite opposite Bollywood is quite disorganized when it
comes to its core functions. Hence this project will throw some light on
one of its main functions The selection process of Bollywood.
Every child today in India wants to grow up to be a Bollywood movie star.
But it isn’t as simple as it seems. There are multiple barriers to entry. With
nepotism on the rise fresh new talents are traded in for actors with minimal
skill but influential relations. Bollywood is one of the largest industries in
India today. Every year thousands of aspirants come to Mumbai with a
hope to join the industry in one way or the other. This project would
expand on how selection processes take place in Bollywood today. Not
only will the project discuss the selection methods for actors but also for
script writers, directors, musicians and editors (VFX,CGI) The various
factions of the selection process, pre-production, production and post
production would also be discussed.
There are multiple factors that play major roles in the selection process in
Bollywood. These factors will be further discussed in the project.


“A STUDY OF SELECTION METHODS IN BOLLYWOOD”

INDEX

Sr. Chapter Sub Points Page

No. No. No.

1 Chapter - 1.1 Introduction to study 2 - 3

I
1.2 Objectives 4

1.3 Limitations of the Study 5

1.4 Research Methodology 6

2 Chapter – 2.1 Information about organization 7 - 8

II
2.2 Organizational structure 9

3 Chapter – 3.1 Conceptual background of the 10 - 11

III study / Theoretical Framework for
concept under study

4 Chapter – Data Analysis And Interpretation 12 - 24

IV

5 Chapter - 5.1 Findings 25

V
5.2 Suggestions 26

5.3 Conclusion 27

Bibliography & References 28

1
 Chapter - I
1.1 Introduction To The Study
A virtual organization basically consists of separate and detached entities that require technology to
support their day to day activities. A virtual organization isn’t representative of a firm’s attribute,
but it could be considered as a separate organization. Such organizations, firms or companies have
members that are geographically apart. They generally work and co-ordinate with the help of
technology such as e-mails, video conferencing phone calls, etc while appearing to people on the
outside as a single, unified organization.

Selection is known as the process of choosing someone from a defined pool of applicants that best
fit or are the most suitable for the particular role. Selection is extremely vital to an organization as it
is the process of differentiating between the pool of applicants in order to identify and choose
individuals with a greater likelihood of success in a given role.

Selection is an important human resource function because of the following reasons:

• Making a bad selection decision is costly in terms of the cost of the recruitment and
selection process itself, salary, management time and resources.
• If the organization selects someone unsuitable it might need to spend time managing their
performance and it might affect other employees. They may also decide to leave meaning
the organization to have to go through the recruitment process again;
• This is a good opportunity to assess skills and abilities. The organization can use this to help
put together a induction/probation training plan and for their future development.
• Selection gives managers an opportunity to assess potential employees' character and
personality. This ensures that only an employee with the most suitable personalities and
skills is given the job. The organization takes keen notice of the candidate’s flexibility and
adaptability to the environment, which assures the organization that such an individual can
possibly adjust quickly to the tough demands of the role.
• Appropriate selection procedures applied in the recruitment process ensure that only the
most qualified individual is chosen to fill a vacancy. Recruited individuals who are pleased
with their role lead to a low employee turnover rate. In any organization employee retention
is very important, as the costs of training and hiring new individuals are usually very high.

2
 • If selection processes are carried out diligently in an organization it considerably reduces
personnel issues in the long run. Issues such as monotony, absenteeism and employee
turnover will possibly not be experienced in the organization. The organization’s relations
with its employees would be far better because the employees would be satisfied by their
roles.

• The concept of a virtual organization is an emerging one and is being adopted by many
renowned organizations in India and across the globe. In such an organization where there is
no physical office it is of utmost importance to select the right kind of employees as in
today’s competitive world it is the employees only who can give a competitive advantage to
the organization. The employees can make or break an organization in today’s time.
• If a wrong employee is selected the entire organization can suffer and it can also lead to
huge losses to the organization.

Hence selection is an important process and understanding how virtual organizations select
their employees is the first step to understand how certain virtual organizations are so
successful and efficient.

3
 1.2 Objectives

• To know what selection techniques are used in Bollywood.

• To know the thought process that goes behind selecting an individual.
• To analyze the selection techniques from the point of view of the selector and the
selected.

4
 1.3 Limitation Of The Study

• Bollywood is a massive virtual organisation and therefore getting responses from all the
departments and people who work behind a film was not possible.

• The sample size was restricted to only 6-10 individuals. The result of which is
inconclusive.

• The sample set have knowledge only about their professional carriers and not about the
entire industry.

• The selection process is highly subjective and varies from person to person so its hard to
find a pattren.

• It’s a very variable, inpredictive industry where things change on a day to day basis.

• The information provided may be biased and there is no way to authenticate the
information provided by the sample set.

5
 1.4 Research Methodology
Sample Size 6

Sample Director, Producer, CGI Artists, Music Director, Lyricist.

Description

Sampling Method At least one person from each of the major fields related to
Bollywood

Data Collection - Audio and video interview (unstructured interview)

Technique - Magazine Articles

- Telephonic Conversations
- E-Mail in a few cases

Persons Interviewed

• Mr. Tanveer Bookwala (Producer)

• Mr. Ken Ghosh (Director)
• Mr. Mayank Tewari (Scriptwriter)
• Mr. Bharat Sachdev (CGI effects)
• Mr. Suhel Khan (CGI effects)
• Mrs.Vijayaa Shanker (Music Director,Singer)

6
 Chapter - II
2.1 Information About The Organization

Bollywood is the sobriquet for the Hindi language film industry, based in Mumbai, India. The term
“Bollywood” is often incorrectly used as synecdoche to refer to the entirety of Indian cinema;
however, it only accounts for a part of the large Indian film industry, which includes multiple other
production centres that produce films in many other languages. Bollywood is one of the largest
producers of film in India and is one of the largest contributors of films in the world. It is formally
referred to as Hindi cinema.
The name "Bollywood" is a portmanteau derived from Bombay (the former name for Mumbai) and
Hollywood, the center of the American film industry. However, unlike Hollywood, Bollywood does
not exist as a physical place.

Mumbai, the City of Dreams, houses a large chuck of Hindi Film Industry, better known as
Bollywood. As one of the biggest film industries in the world, Bollywood produces over 1000 films
a year. Since 1913, Indian Cinema has made a long journey from simple silent movies to sound
films, then colored films to technically advanced movies of the present day.
People often have the misconception that Bollywood is the Indian Film Industry, where as the truth
is that it only accounts for a part of whole industry which produces films in multiple languages. The
movies made in Bollywood are a major source of entertainment not only for the Indian masses but
also for people all over the world. Bollywood movies entertain over 3.6 billion people all over the
world. That is over half of the world’s population. Bypassing the reality, Hindi films are usually
'masala' (spicy) movies that comprise all the ingredients like music, dance, violence and melodrama
of a good entertainer. Languages such as Hindi, English and Urdu are extremely common in
Bollywood.

Bollywood today is no longer limited to Mumbai. The entire film making process which includes
pre-production activities such as scripting, dialogues, set designing, shooting of the film and post
production activities such as vfx graphics, background music, marketing of the film etc. happen in
different places due to presence of digital technology. It is no more necessary for everyone to meet
and coordinate physically. All of it happens simply through coordination online or through the help
of directors. For example one could have a scriptwriter writing the story in his house in Delhi, the
shooting of the film happening in Switzerland, music happening in Los Angles and vfx in New
Zealand none of them know each other or have even necessarily met each other and all of them
move on to their next movie after completing their current film where they work with a completely

7
new team, all this gives us enough evidence to establish that Bollywood is an virtual organization
and one of the best examples of virtual organizations at that.

The 3 phases in Bollywood are:

Pre Production – The people involved in the pre production phase are the scriptwriters, the casting
director, the set designers, the producer, the financers. The scriptwriter comes up with the script or a
basic outline of the story. The casting director based on the script shortlists potential actors and
actresses who are apt for that particular role. They also hold auditions for newcomers from time to
time if they see underlying skill and potential in them. The set designer decides locations where the
film can be shot and is mainly involved in making and designing sets for the particular film. The
producer and financers are the ones who have the most important say and the last word in all the
matters. They sponsor the films and hence are the most important people. In the music industry,
pre-production is basically a precursor to the artist creating a song. They spend time in the studio
with their producers trying to refine their initial ideas. The artist initially produce a song's demo
recording i.e. rough draft of the final project. This is done in order to pre-establish the song's
creative premise. This significantly reduces the time and money an artist or the production company
has to spend in expensive studios. The main goal for an artist is to enter into the final recording
phase of production with the basic overlay and promising ideas that have already been established.

Production – This is the stage when the film is being shot. In this satge the most important role is
played by the actors, the supporting actors, the junior artists, the choreographers, the dialogue
writers, the director, the cinematographer, the singers, the lyricists, the music director. All these
people are present when the film is being shot. In this stage the director is the most imprtanat person
who has the final say in all matters. The director is the captain of the ship and is responsible for all
the people and the film. The cinematographer is responsible for shooting the entire film.

Post Production – This is the stage after the shooting of the film is completed. The people involved
in this stage are the editors, the CGI and special effects artists, the marketing team, the sales team,
the distributors, the advertisors, the promoters. Looking at the music aspect of it the post
produvction satge is the sound design and the sound effcets. The editors prepare the final film that
we see by removing all the extra and unnecessary scenes. The editor will only give their suggestion
but the director and producer have the finl say. The CGI artist will give the dynamics, graphics,
animations, 2D and 3D effects etc to improvise on the film. The marketing team will market the
film among the public. They will coordinate promotional events and other ways to promote the
film. The distributirs reserve the number of screens that will show a particular film. The advertisors
will have radio and media partners who will use newspapers, televisions and radios to spread more
awreness about the film.

8
 2.2 Organisation Structure

Actor &
Actress
Music Supportig
Director Actors

Singers Editor

Script
Lyricist Producer writer
&
Director

Choreogr
aphers DOP

Casting
Costume
Designers Directo
r
Set CGI
Designers Artists

9
 Chapter - III
3.1 Conceptual Background Of The Study
It is very essential for every organisation to select the correct type of employees. Hence various
selection tests or techniques are used by the organisation. Types of tests and rules of good selection
have been discussed below in brief:

1. Aptitude Tests - Aptitude and ability tests are mainly designed to evaluate the logical
reasoning or thinking performance of an individual. The tests consist of multiple-choice
questions which are strictly administered under examination environments. They are
typically timed and a test might allow up to a minute to answer each question. The test result
would finally be compared to that of a controlled group so that decision could be made
about ones’ abilities.
2. Ability Tests - Ability tests are classified into two parts speed tests and power tests. The
premise of the speed test is quite simple. The questions asked to the applicant are quite
straightforward in nature, but it tests the applicant’s ability to answer a specific number of
questions in an allotted time frame. Such tests are usually used for selection of clerical and
administrative work where the speed of the projects matter. On the other hand, a power test
is the exact opposite of the speed test. In a power test an applicant would be asked fewer
questions but they would be of higher complexity. These tests are used more for managerial
and professional work force.
3. Personality Tests – At times, personality affects job performance. These determine
personality traits of the candidate such as cooperativeness, emotional balance, etc. Theses
seek to assess an individual’s motivation, adjustment to stress of everyday life, capacity for
interpersonal relations and self-image. These tests are taken to find the fundamental aspects
of the applicant’s personality such as self confidence, leadership ability, patience etc.
4. Achievement/ Performance Tests– An achievement test is a test of developed skill or
knowledge. The most common type of achievement tests is a standardized test developed to
measure skills and knowledge learned in a given grade level, usually through planned
instruction, such as training.
5. Knowledge Tests – These are designed to measure the depth of the knowledge and
proficiency in certain skills already achieved by the applicant such as engineering,
accounting, etc.

10
 6. Projective Tests – In this method of testing the applicant projects his personality into free
responses about pictures shown to him, which are ambiguous. In psychology, such a test is a
personality test which is designed to let a person respond to ambiguous stimuli.
7. Interest Tests – These tests are an inventory where the person is asked to express their likes
and dislikes for a range of different activities and attitudes. They are compared with interest
patterns for assessing suitability for employment.
8. Psychometric Tests – Psychometric tests include a wide array of evaluation tools that
measure one's knowledge, abilities and personality. They are frequently used for job
selection processes in the UK across industries and for a multitude of positions.
Psychometric tests the following:
(a) Verbal Ability – This includes ability to understand analogies, grammar, spelling and
follow detailed written instructions. These tend to be the most general questions in an
aptitude test as most employers would want to know if a candidate can communicate
well.
(b) Numeric Ability – This includes general maths, basic arithmetic and number sequences.
Higher management level tests would include such tests. The candidate would often
have to decrypt or solve certain problems presented to them by the employers. An
employer would want positive indications that the applicant could solve such tests by
using their abilities even if it isn’t a large part of their role.
(c) Abstract Reasoning – This includes testing an individual’s ability to identify an
underlying logic of a pattern and then continue to determine the solution. This is
believed to be one of the best indicators of fluid intelligence a candidate’s ability to
grasp knowledge. Such tests too appear on most general tests.
(d) Spatial Reasoning – This includes testing an individual’s ability to visualize three-
dimensional objects that are initially presented as two-dimensional pictures or to
manipulate shapes in two dimensions. Such questions are not usually found in general
tests unless the role clearly requires good spatial skills.
(e) Mechanical Reasoning – This test is designed for an individual to use their knowledge of
mechanical and physical principles. These tests are specifically includes in jobs or roles
such as the military, police forces, fire services, craft, technical and engineering
occupations.
9. Assessment Centers - An assessment center is basically a process where candidates are
timely assessed to finally determine their suitability for specific types of roles. A candidates'
personality and aptitudes are determined by a large variety of techniques which include
examinations, interviews, psychometric testing, group exercises.
11
 Chapter - IV
Interpretation And Data Analysis
The selection methods used in Bollywood are very differnt form those used in any other virtual
organisation. As mentioned earlier the making of every Bollywood film is in three parts that is Pre
Production, Production and Post Production. This report will provide an insight into how the people
are selected in eaxh of these stages.

Pre-Production Stage:

Producer (Mr. Tanveer Bookwala – Chief Creative Officer, Balaji Motion Pictures)

Mr. Tanveer Bookwala is the CCO of Balaji Motion Pictures and has long been an integral creative
part of Balaji working on the past years slate. He has worked in several films like Kyaa Super Kool
Hain Hum, Ragini MMS 2, Kuku Mathur Ki Jhand Ho Gayi, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Main Tera
Hero and Ek Villain. He also co-wrote Ragini MMS 2.

A producer has the final call in all the matters related to a film. So, if we compare Bollywood to an
organization then the producer will definitely be the CEO. As a producer there are a variety of
ways to make a film. Sometimes projects directly come to a production house, that is, an
independent producer might come to a production house and say that they have a project in place
that is a story, a director, the actors, etc. everyone are preselected and they are making the movie so
they require these production houses only to finance the project.

The second way of making a film is where the idea is developed in house. That is where a
scriptwriter is selected and the story is developed, then the director is selected and brought onboard.

The selection of the director by a producer depends on a number of factors like:

(a) track record

(b) market success
(c) genre dependency – this is a very unique feature only seen in Bollywood. In Bollywood we
have very genre specific directors so if the films want to be successful, a director who has
been successful previously in that genre will be selected or given preference.

After considering all these factors if the producers like the idea and the director, only then will they
sign the contract and go ahead with the director.

12
In case of a debut director, the basis of selection is that the producers expects him to come with
some amount of repute like he must have some background in advertising or has made a short film
or has made a web series. The new director needs to show something to his credit that he has done
in order to stand a chance to be selected. And in case the director has nothing at all before , he must
have an incredible idea such that the producers fall in love with the idea. If the producers love the
idea they will think of taking the chances with the new director and will try to understand his
judgements like the kind of look the new director wants for the film or the kind of shots that he
wants. This the producers can only judge with experience, post which it’s a gamble. Hence these are
the important factors for selection of a debut director.

Also another important fact, is that the selection of a director does not matter much on the fact that
whether he is an experienced director or a novice, it mainly depends on the budget of the film and
this makes a big difference.

Generally the producer has the final call in all matters. At times a director may come with his own
team that is his script, actors, choreographers, music, etc then the decision making and selection are
usually creative calls. But this happens only case of an established directors. If it’s a new director
then the producers give suggestions for the selection of the assistant director, the choreographers,
the music team, the art team, the costume designers, etc but the call is taken by the director because
he is the “captain of the ship.”

Sometimes it’s the legacy of a director that plays a very important role for example: if Mr.
Rajkumar Hirani wants certain actors or producers or any other member as the cast and crew then
everyone agrees quickly and the selection process is not very tedious.

If the creative studio has to select a team then it depends on the scale of the studio. For example big
studios like Eros follow the acquisitions pattern so they tend to buy talent that is they will pay a
premium for big directors and get them on board, these big directors have a team of their own so
they have the final say as to who will do what and who is to be selected. But small production
houses give suggestions to the director, help him build on content, build on script and build on
talent. These small creative studios meet a lot of people and identify the talented people and then
suggest them to the director. The director then works with these talented people in sync with the
producers and then a final call is taken. In Bollywood there are no in house teams with the producer
or director, and everyone just freelances hence once again proving that it is a virtual organisation.

13
The selection also depends on the preference of the producer and director. For example in a film the
producer knows the kind of sound or music he will require so he will choose his music director,
singer, etc accordingly. Also the genre specific point comes into play even here that is if an
individual is excellent at a particular genre then he will only be selected if the producer requires
something related to that genre.

The selection of the big stars is done on the basis of what the role requires. The way the character is
scripted and developed by the scriptwriter will prompt a producer to shortlist a few actors and then
finalise who should be selected for that particular role.

Other major factors that prompts the selection of a big star by a producer are:

(a) Will his look meet the look requirements of the character to be portrayed.
(b) What was the last role played by the actor
(c) What was the success ratio of the last film of the actor
(d) How much do people really like the actor
(e) The price that the actor demands compared to the number of people who will pay to watch
that actor onscreen
(f) Sometimes the scriptwriter writes a film with a certain reference star in mind this also serves
as an aspect to consider before the selection of the final actor

So, all in all the selection of the big, renowned actors is a mix of creative and commercial factors.

The selection of the newcomers is a different ball game altogether. In this case firstly auditions
happen, where dozens of people are auditioned. Then if the candidates are already backed by some
renowned actor or director or any other important person related to the film making process they
stand a better chance of being selected. This is because the big people who are backing these new
comers might be able to push the films, create a buzz and help gain more box office collections.

Largely Bollywood suffers from nepotism so due to this it is only the star kids who get selected.
Also PR by the relatives or parents of these star kids plays an important role in the selection of
these star kids as newcomers.

But in case of absolute new comers thousands of people are auditioned and the best two are
selected. Then a workshop is conducted with them, they are trained, they are worked with and then
they are picked on the basis of pure talent. There is no other way to select absolute newcomers.

14
The various factors considered while selecting newcomers are:
(a) looks
(b) talent
(c) presence
(d) being a good performer

The audition process happens in several rounds, after a few rounds a casting director gets involved
in the selection process. The casting director will shortlist from hundreds of people and break it
down to ten people who they will then present to the producers. Then these ten people will further
break it down to five. The production house will work with these five people, workshop with them,
see how it goes, do demos and then based on the responses will finalize one newcomer. This is a
standard procedure followed across the industry.

The selection of the supporting cast is done on the basis of:

(a) how right they are for the role
(b) how good their performance is
(c) how correct the price is

For marketing a film, the producers have either an in-house team or they hire a marketing
consultant. Then these marketing team will design a marketing piece for the producers. They will
come up with a strategy, a communication channel, with posters, with designs, with the trailer, the
hoardings, the billboards, the radio spots, etc. Big studios like Balaji have an in-house marketing
team where there is a head of marketing, who is responsible for the entire marketing process and the
marketing head has a team under them. So all the talent for marketing is in house.

The producers receive hundreds of stories everyday so the selection process for stories is that there
is whole team for that purpose. There is a development team, which consists of people who screen
through the ideas, create a synopsis and get back to the producer with the synopsis. If the synopsis
is liked then the script is called for. If the script is interesting then the scriptwriter gets his
commission. So, selection of the script and scriptwriters is comparatively simpler.

Sometimes scriptwriters are also selected on the preference of the actor that is the actor comes to
the scriptwriter and tells him to write a script for him with a certain background in mind. In such
cases again the scriptwriter and actor are ready and then they look for a director, producer, etc.

15
For the selection of the music and the music director, the producers call for a scratch, which is
basically the demo of the music. This scratch provides a sense of the melody, the arrangement, etc.
If the music is liked at that level then the musicians will be commissioned. Then the music is
programmed, engineered, mixed, mastered, etc.

The selection of the music team is done on the basis of:

(a) track record
(b) market success
(c) genre dependency

There are a fixed number of distributors throughout the country and they are divided on the basis of
per sector, or areas. So there are distributors in Mumbai, in Delhi, etc. Due to a fixed number of
distributors they are guaranteed. There are two ways of selecting distributors, one, the producers
hire an all India distributor who is a big and resourceful person with his company, so if he is
selected he takes the contract, then he will distribute it across India by the means of sub-distributing
it, who then sell it to exhibitors. This method is used for big films to share and minimize the
individual risk. Second, the production house have their own people who have their own setup. This
method is generally used for small budget films.
The selection of the distributor by the producer happens on the basis of:
(a) how much money is the production house willing to put for distribution, that is the cost of
distribution, because distribution of the film is expensive
(b) the kind of distribution muscle the production house already has
(c) the scale of the film

Big studios often do multiple distribution deals and exhibition deals which means if a distributor
wants to distribute a big film then he will have to distribute a small film as well, so that the small
film doesn’t get squashed.

The selection procedure for a Bollywood film has too many variables to consider for example the
director might not like the script; the actor might not like the director; the director might not like the
producer, etc. Whenever a suitable combination of all the people is reached and all the key people
are on board only then a film shooting begins.

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The criteria looked at before selecting the CGI and VFX Artist are:
(a) Quality of Work
(b) Comfort of Working
(c) Price

Sometimes the directors come with a preference of a visual supervisor and then these supervisors
sub let the film to a CGI and Graphics company to do the CGI effects. But this only happens in the
case of big directors. Some small films, which do not involve a lot of CGI effects and VFX works
the producer takes a call on the basis of the factors mentioned above.

The DOP (Department Of Photography) is also selected on the basis of:

(a) his work
(b) relationship with the producer or director
(c) comfort to work with as this makes the work faster
The DOP head might have his own relationship with his crew. Example if the DOP head prefers a
certain colorist with whom he wants to work with, that colorist might be attached to a particular
CGI effects company then the CGI and VFX effects artist or company is chosen on that basis.

The selection of the set designer and art team is based on the following criteria:
(a) his work
(b) relationship with the producer or director
(c) comfort to work with as this makes the work faster and in the process of film making time is
money.
The entire selection process in Bollywood does not have to definite time period attached to it. This
is because Bollywood is a virtual organization so many people are working on several projects
simultaneously so ultimately things fall into place themselves. But once the script is locked it takes
about a year for a film to come from a script to screen. The pre production work takes three months,
the production that is the shooting take 72 - 73 days on an average and the post-production work
takes around 60 – 90 days depending on how big or small the film is.

For a listed company like Balaji the finances are all in house that is it public money from stock and
private money from promoters. Now days the financing process has become corporate so there are
no external financers like the olden times. So the independent producers cycle their own money.
Studios have their own money generated that keeps circulating. So there is no selection of financers
as such now days.

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The selection of insurance for the film is not tedious. It is a very simple process, similar to that of
buying a health insurance. Whoever gives the most benefits at the best price is selected. There are
dozens of companies offering insurance so it is not a big issue.

The selection of the promotional strategies depends on:

(a) how much buzz do we want to create?
(b) what is our target audience?

The factors affecting the selection of the release date depends on:
(a) size of the film
(b) benchmark of what you want to make through the film – if we have a big film that wants to
make a 100 crore then a vacation time release date will be selected,
(c) avoid exams, that is when people are not available
(d) look at big festivals like Diwali, Eid, Christmas, when people are free
(e) for small films don’t go up against sports events like IPL, Premier League
(f) January, February, March don’t release too many films they are lean periods
(g) May, June, July more films come up due to vacations

The selection of the channel for the broadcasting rights depends solely on price.

The problems arising during the selection process are:

(a) Availability
(b) Price – depending on how well or how badly their last film has done
(c) Insecurities if the last film has not done well

The selection and post selection methods are very deeply articulated. Also there is very strong
paperwork in place, so once a person is selected for a Bollywood project backing out is not an
option.

Scriptwriter (Mr. Mayank Tewari)

Mr. Mayank Tewari is a critically acclaimed scriptwriter who has written films like Sulemani
Keeda. He is a young and budding scriptwriter who does not write the mainstream Bollywood films
but writes modern films, which addresses serious issues.

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The producer as mentioned earlier, selects the scriptwriter based on certain criteria. Mr Tewari is
very critical in his views about the selection methods used in Bollywood for selecting a particular
script. As per him, more often than not, the quality of one’s script isn’t as important as how well the
script writer gets along with the director or producer he is pitching to. There could be several good
scripts out there, written by talented writers from all around the country. But they have simply not
managed to find the right channels as yet. According to him having proper credentials is everything
in the industry. If directors or producers don’t know who you are, it doesn’t matter how good or bad
your script is. Now, after years, he has figured out how to get around this. But someone new to the
industry or the city has no way of doing so.

The problems in the selection methods as far as Bollywood is concerned, is that the box office
seems to be another obstacle in the way of good scripts being made into films. Box-office
performance is a more important factor than it would be in, regional industries, like Marathi or
Bengali cinema for example. Perhaps because there's so much focus on budgets and returns on
investment, scripts often don't get selected simply because they don’t appear to have commercial
value.

Finally, most directors in India are uncomfortable directing a script that they haven’t themselves
helped develop. Unlike in many other film industries across the world, directors are sent completed
scripts written by screenwriters they don't know and their first introduction to the project is the
"bound script". This, however, is rare in Bollywood. Most of the time, a film begins as a one-page
idea that is developed by both the director and the screenwriter. Often, the bound script doesn't even
exist because it's coming together over the filmmaking process.

Production Stage:

Director (Mr. Ken Ghosh)

Ken Ghosh is an Indian Hindi film director and screen writer. He also produces films and TV
serials. Ken Ghosh is a director and writer, known for Ishq Vishk (2003), Chance Pe Dance (2010)
and Fida (2004).

As mentioned earlier the director is the captain of the ship and has the second most important say
after the producer. The director either himself approaches the producer or the producer selects the
director. The criteria for selection were mentioned above.

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Mr. Ghosh told says that there are two ways a director is selected for a film. One is when the script
or concept is ready then the production house goes hunting for a director and the second case is
when a director has a script ready and he goes looking for a production house. In the first case the
director will be selected on the basis of:
(a) The producer likes the directors work, knows he is a good director and can make a good
film
(b) The director may be good in that particular genre of films
(c) A director who the stars will be comfortable to work with

A new director will be selected on the basis of:

(a) The director has a bank of scripts ready, so if the producer does not like one particular script
then the director should be able to pitch in another film story
(b) The director if a first timer and coming with his own script, must have at least some past
experience like he should have made an advertisement or a music video or something along
those lines before.
(c) He should have worked as an assistant director with a lot of good and big directors, or he
should have assisted on a number of good film projects.

The director when asked that who selects the other people involved in making a film like the DOP,
the choreographer, the costume designer etc replied that the selection of these people will generally
be a director’s call or at times it is decided by the director and the producer together. Very rarely the
director, producer and the actors all three have a say in the selection of the other people involved.
The basis of selection of theses other aforementioned people is primarily the budget of the film. For
example, if it is a small budget film the music director or the costume designer will be a small or
relatively new person, no big and famous person will be selected. Selection of people in this case
will also happen on the basis of talent then.

The selection of big stars is done by directors, but this happens only in case of renowned directors,
for new directors or not so well-known directors it is very difficult to get hold of a super star for the
film. In this case if the director has been a good assistant director in the past and has the contacts
then maybe getting hold or selecting a big star to work on the film with will be easier.
How stars select directors?
Another aspect looked at before a star selects the director is a superb script, if the script is really
very good only then will a star further think about doing the film. Also, the star’s 90% decision of
selecting the director is based on the fact that who the director is rather than what the director can

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do. This is an important criterion because a good director can make a very average film, highly
successful.

If the director wants a particular actor for a particular role and the actor is not available then what to
do ahead depends on the kind of star and the script. If the director can find someone else who can
justify the role equally well then that actor is selected or else the director has to wait for the actor of
his choice.

The problems that arise during selection as per the director are:
(a) If you are a first-time director then getting people on board is difficult. The selection then
mainly happens on the basis of who is the most talented and how much money does he
claim.
(b) If the director is a renowned one then he knows the technicians he wants to work with so
then the selection process becomes comparatively easier.

Music Director And Singer (Mrs. Vijayaa Shanker)

Vijayaa Shanker feels the stature of music artists has gone down over the years but they should
keep insecurities at bay and ply with their heart. Singer and music director, Vijayaa Shanker, who
made her debut as a music director with “Bankey Ki Crazy Baarat”, believes that nowadays artists
are treated as “commodities.” Vijayaa feels the stature of music artists has gone down over the
years but they should keep insecurities at bay and ply with their heart.

Vijayaa Shanker when asked that how is she selected as a music director for a film and being a
newcomer how does she convince directors and producers to select her she said that it isn’t an easy
process. In case of a debut film where all the other members like the producer, director etc are also
new comers they have made a presentation in front of the director and producer, based on the
situation given to them on the spot. If it appeals to them the music director is selected. To be
selected in the advertisement world or the corporate world they have to constantly be within the
industry and need to be make their presence felt and need to be audible at all times. Also,
networking and how well you connect and how capable you are to impress them is an important
factor in the selection process. Once they like the music directors work the production house keeps
coming back to them and they become a team. Then the music directors are referred to other
producers and directors and hence a rapo is built.

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Selection also depends on the price. Negotiations are a very common feature and always happens.
Also, this is a very highly competitive field, where there are less talented and more talented people
so for newcomers they don’t have much of a choice, if they want to be selected they need to agree
to work for a lesser pay. Sometimes the newcomers personally put in some extra money themselves
to deliver top quality work so as to be selected the next time and to create contacts.

Once the music director is selected, they select their team members like the lyricist, the arranger,
the sound engineer, etc. For the music industry it works on word of mouth basis. Based on what the
music directors have heard they start thinking whether that person will be fit for the song. The
arrangement is heard by the music director if they like it they select it. But the selection of singers is
very difficult. In today’s time there are a lot of singers who can do justice so selecting one particular
singer is very difficult. Then it’s the music director’s choice whether they want to go with a fresh
voice or select a pre-existing, famous or not so famous Bollywood singer.

The selection of the singer and other music artist happens, keeping in mind how much returns will
the music company get by promoting the particular artist. Sometimes the music director waits for
the particular singer, but if the artist does not work out then a new artist is selected. With the mutual
consent of the entire music unit a final singer is selected. The salability of a singer is always kept in
mind before selecting a singer.

But in case of big music directors they can select whomever they want or do whatever they want
because they themselves are an established brand. They have the last word in all matters.
The relationship, comfort level and compatibility are also an important aspect in selection of the
team by the music director. Mastering the connect is very important in the music industry. Also the
monetary incentives are important.

For selection, first the music director meets the singers, if they are compatible and patient enough to
listen to the music director, then a trial is taken and finally from all the trials one is selected. The
singers are often told to mail the best of their work and the music director keeps this in mind, then
as and when the need arises, the singer is called upon to the recording studio. The singers
confidence is tested and they are also tested on the fact that if they can create the impact the song
requires.

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The music industry is comparatively disorganized compared to other areas of Bollywood; there is
no proper contracts and agreements in place which might make the artist insecure.

In case of selection of a lyricist the music director has an idea of what the melody is, what the mood
is, what the concept is and based on this tells the lyricist to write sample lyrics, and based on this
the lyricist is selected. This only happens in case of fresh lyricists; the established lyricists do not do
this.

Post Production Stage:

CGI And VFX Artists (Mr. Bharat Sachdev and Mr. Suhel Khan)

Mr. Bharat Sachdev is an experienced CGI artist in his field with over 15 years of experience. Mr.
Suhel Khan also has about 10 years of experience. Together they have lent their expertise to films
like Lagaan, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Jodhaa Akbar, Dhoom 2, Fanaa, Salaam
Namaste, Rang De Basanti, Swades, Veer-Zara, Mohobbatein and many more. They also have
several Hollywood films to their credit like Spiderman 2, Spiderman 3, John Carter, etc. They have
also contributed to various advertisements.
The CGI artists as mentioned earlier are selected by the producer or/and the director. The CGI
artists are mainly selected on the basis of:
(a) experience
(b) credentials and background of the artist
(c) his relationship with the producer and the director
(d) price

The very first time Mr. Khan and Mr. Sachdeev were selected was because at that time the industry
didn’t have many competitors in the CGI and VFX area. Moreover, the company that they work
for- Prime Focus was one of the largest CGI company in India then and even now so the company
has a legacy of its own. Also the directors comfort zone and relations with the director plays an
important role in selection of them for the work, since the directors have been working with this
company for a long time. They automatically tend to get selected over the other companies. Also, at
Prime Focus they have a huge pool of talented workers, which makes selecting Prime Focus an
even viable and better option.
There are various areas under special effects so the selection of the teams who work under Mr.
Sachdev and Mr. Khan depends on factors such as what the director requires and the areas where
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special effects are required in the film. There are multiple fields and divisions under special effects,
so as per the requirements of the shot, the previous works of the candidates is seen and then a
judgment as to who has to be selected is taken. The number of people required for a particular film
depends on the scale of the film. For selecting these people, the past work is seen, then maybe an
interview is conducted consisting of several rounds. At times a test is given to the candidates and
based on something similar required for the actual shot of the film where the effects need to added.
The interview might also consist of technical questions and the candidates might need to answer a
professional about the software and methods used by them. If the CGI company is satisfied by the
answers of these candidates only then will they selected for the project.

Basically, the important aspects in selection of the team are:

(a) previous work
(b) quality of work
(c) delivery date
(d) productivity
(e) the candidates need to be multi-taskers and all rounders
Due to the massive scale of Bollywood, freshers are required frequently and they work under a
supervisor. The talent pool in this field is large and this particular area is very closely knit and very
competitive.

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 Chapter - V
5.1 Findings
• Bollywood is a virtual organisation, where there is a mix of talent, money and
quality of work looked at before the final selection is done.
• The selection of debutants is slightly more complicated than the selection of already
existing Bollywood personalities.
• It is very difficult for a total outsider to be selected for a film.
• Having relations within Bollywood increases the chances of getting selected easily.
• Bollywood has a lot of nepotism within its selection structure.
• Bollywood also has genre specific roles attached to people in all fields. This helps in
selection and is a unique feature only noted in Bollywood.
• Bollywood involves a lot many people who go behind making a film and every one
of these people are very carefully selected.
• The past track record, previous films work, success and failure all play a very
important role in selection of a candidate.
• Bollywood has a huge talent pool to choose from and is a very competitive industry.
• Bollywood also works a lot on legacy of the actor, and other emotional aspects rather
than the actual work and talent. For example, a new actor can be much more better
looking and talented than Shah Rukh Kahn but still Shah Rukh Khan will be selected
over that actor due to his legacy.
• Cost plays a major role in determining all those who will be selected in Bollywood.
• The new talent pool in Bollywood are very well prepared and capable to adopt to
whatever circumstances they are put into to get selected.

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 5.2 Suggestions
1. Bollywood and the importance of relationships-
In many movies from Karan Johar and the Barjatiyas we have seen them highlight the importance
of relationships but something we never took that seriously. It’s only after the project and surveys
we realized that Bollywood an organization is suffering from nepotism. This really puts a lot of
impetus on the relationships.
With the rising number of people showing interest in the entertainment industry, the pool of
candidates available in today's time is huge the problem with Bollywood here is the lack of a
mechanism of screening the candidates, this is where the importance of relationships comes into
play, so often a not so talented person or a person who may not be the right choice for a job gets
selected due to their relationship with the director, producer, music director etc making it a decision
based on personal bias and not that of getting the right person for the right job, a dangerous practice
indeed.

2. Also post my research I have found out that the new comers don’t often get a second chance so if
their first film has not done well then, they stand an almost impossible chance to score a second
film. A second film is almost impossible unless the actually prove themselves again or are capable
of mesmerizing the director again with their acting skills.

3. Bollywood is also a very disorganized sector that is the scriptwriters cannot reach the producer,
an upcoming actor in a small town who is much better than the actor actually selected is not
selected due to lack of knowledge or influence. This is a major drawback of Bollywood being a
virtual organization that the correct people do not know whom to contact and how. So during the
selection process the producers make a convenient choice rather than an informed choice.

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 5.2 Conclusion

• From my data collection, analysis and findings I can conclude that in Bollywood
relationships are of utmost importance. After relationships, the cost of all the people is of
next most importance. The selection process in Bollywood is very disorganized.

• In Bollywood either the producer or the director takes all the main and important decisions.
So the others do not have a very important say. This may lead to poor decision-making.
They mainly make all the selection decision on the basis of experience or gut feeling. This is
a very unsafe way to make decisions and hence and the success or failure of the film mainly
falls on the shoulders of the producer and the director.

• Although there is a pool of talent to choose from, they are left behind and not selected. The
selection process is tedious and time consuming and therefore the selection of new comers is
not preferred in Bollywood. Bollywood is a very close-knit family and new comers are not
selected and preferred that often.

• In Bollywood everyone is very genre specific and there is a lack of versatility, therefore
when one knows the genre the it won’t take long for selection because they directly look at
people from that particular genre and select the final people to sign the contract with.

• Bollywood has poor Human Resource Management policies and everything here depends on
contacts or contracts. Bollywood prefers to select only preexisting people and it is very
difficult for an outsider to get into this industry.

• Another interesting fact about Bollywood is that here the selection is a very emotional
process, very less importance is given to talent and mainly selection happens due to
emotions, relationships and popularity. If talent is looked at then the best of talent at the
least of price is required.

Hence to conclude that Bollywood is a virtual organization but the selection techniques used in
Bollywood needs to be worked upon. The selection process more fair and just for all the people
who are aspiring and who have already gained stardom.

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 Bibliography And References
Interviews with:

• Mr. Tanveer Bookwala (Producer)

• Mr. Ken Ghosh (Director)
• Mr. Mayank Tewari (Scriptwriter)
• Mr. Bharat Sachdev (CGI effects)
• Mr. Suhel Khan (CGI effects)
• Mrs.Vijayaa Shanker (Music Director,Singer)

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-production
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_industry
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_industry
• https://www.mumbai.org.uk/mumbai-bollywood.html
• https://www.slideshare.net/jessyjessy1276/recruitment-and-selection-42856956
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_organization
• https://www.iedunote.com/selection-process
• https://www.readyratios.com/reference/business/personnel_selection.html
• https://www.dialogtech.com/employees-can-make-break-business
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industry
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assessment_centre
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projective_test
• https://psychometric-success.com/aptitude-tests/aptitude-tests-introduction
• https://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/mff-diary-top-directors-tell-you-why-
bollywood-scripts-are-terrible-1765087.html

The Indian Express Magazine
Filmfare Magazine

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