Personal details
- Birth Date: 1980-05-27
- Birth Location: New Delhi, India
- Parents: T. C Chhabra
- Professions: Casting Director, Casting Department, Actor
Mukesh Chhabra is basically the guy who flipped the script on casting in Bollywood. Dude didn’t just roll in and start picking faces—he actually put in years learning the ropes at Shri Ram Centre and then spent nearly a decade doing real theatre work with TIE and the National School of Drama. So, not your average talent scout. Back in 2008, he kicked off Mukesh Chhabra Casting Company, which, honestly, blew up way faster than most. Now, it’s a go-to hub for filmmakers all over, not just in India. Fifteen years deep in the game, he’s stacked up credits on more than 300 films, over a hundred web series, and who knows how many ads. He’s got a knack for spotting fresh faces—think Rajkummar Rao, Sushant Singh Rajput, Sanya Malhotra, Fatima Sana Shaikh, and a bunch more who are now big deals. Newcomers actually get a shot with him, not just the usual industry insiders, which is kind of rare. Directors aren’t shy about lining up for his expertise—guys like Rajkumar Hirani, Imtiaz Ali, Anurag Kashyap, Kabir Khan, and even music legend A.R. Rahman have trusted him to find the right people. Major producers too—Karan Johar, Ekta Kapoor, Sajid Nadiadwala, you name it. The whole team at MCCC is obsessed with nailing every detail, no matter how small, and it shows in their work. If you’re keeping tabs on who’s shaping today’s Hindi cinema, Mukesh Chhabra is seriously at the center of it all.
Mukesh Chhabra, before he became that go-to casting guy in Bollywood, actually spent six years up on stage and in classrooms with the Theatre in Education Company, which links up with the National School of Drama in India. So the dude’s not just pulling actors out of thin air—he’s lived and breathed theater, proper old-school style. Imagine slogging through years of live performances, sweating it out with kids, figuring out how to make Shakespeare or whatever actually interesting. That’s where he cut his teeth, not behind some casting desk. And honestly, it shows in his work. He’s got this knack for spotting raw talent, maybe because he’s seen all kinds of people, all kinds of nerves, and all sorts of drama—literally. So, next time you’re watching one of his cast-led blockbusters, just remember, this isn’t some random career leap. The guy’s paid his dues, big time, with actual stage dust on his shoes.
May 27, 1980
Konidela Ram Charan
New Delhi, India
T. C Chhabra and Surekha
45 years old