Popular actress Amruta Khanvilkar who was recently seen in the web series Taskaree: A Smugglers Web believes the casting process in the entertainment industry has changed drastically from when she began her career nearly 20 years ago. Best known for her performances in films like Raazi (2018) and Malang (2020) the 41-year-old actor says that while social media numbers may influence casting today she chooses not to let that thought affect her mindset. Heres what Amruta said on the casting couch “Casting is not in an actor’s hands. Casting based on followers does not make sense. How would one know if they lost a role because the other person has more social media followers?” she says. She adds with honesty “If an actor wants complete control the only way is to produce or direct. Otherwise all you can do is focus on your craft and stay authentic.” Amruta shares that she has made peace with the unpredictable nature of the industry. According to her wondering why a role slipped away is pointless because actors rarely know the real reason behind casting decisions. “If I lost a role it was never meant to be. You win some you lose some. That’s the nature of this industry it’s unpredictable. We as actors can’t get bothered by why we lost the role as one would never know the real reason. Having said that you can’t live with regret” she says. Her approach is simple stay focused on the work rather than the noise around it. Heres how OTT changed the game Amruta strongly believes that OTT platforms have opened new doors for actors across the board. She feels long-format storytelling has allowed performers to explore characters more deeply than ever before. “It has given actors more space and content to experiment with. In long-format storytelling especially the writing becomes crucial. The arc the timeline the way characters evolve over seasons all of that matters. Now makers also want to experiment with not only content but with actors” she explains. She particularly appreciates how female characters are now being written with more depth and variety. Breaking stereotypes around women on screen Amruta also values working with filmmakers who do not limit women to predictable roles. For her the most refreshing change is when characters are treated as individuals rather than defined by gender. “I love it when makers treat characters as characters not as genders. A woman can be nurturing and still be fierce. She can be in her jeans and shirt and completely kicka** and that should feel normal” she says. For Amruta Khanvilkar staying grounded trusting her craft and adapting to change seems to be the formula that has kept her going strong in an ever-evolving industry.