During a conversation on India TV’s ‘The Filmy Hustle’ podcast, Bollywood actress and Vice President of talent agency Dharma Cornerstone Agency (DCA), Kim Sharma, discussed the role of instinctive decision-making in the movie business.
Kim Sharma, who currently works with director Karan Johar as the Vice President of Dharma Cornerstone Agency, in conversation with Akkshay Rathie at India TV’s ‘The Filmy Hustle’ podcast, spoke about the importance of instinctive decision-making in the movie business . She explained that their agency works with partners on two fronts. On one side, there are actors whose well-being, self-representation, positioning, and strategies are our highest priority.
Talking about the other side, she said, “But there are also brands, producers, directors, filmmakers, and writers who trust us and our opinions.” She also mentioned, “I think a large part of the decisions we make are based on instinct. There is no fixed formula, you can’t say this is going to work and this isn’t.”
Kim says, ‘A great instinct is a great tool in this business’
Commenting on their approach, Kim said, “A great instinct is a great tool in this business.” She explained that both she and Rajeev Masand, who are relatively “outsiders” to the industry in some ways, rely totally on their instincts. “His large connections, my friends within the industry and my understanding of what it meant to be an actor,” she added.
She admitted that she hadn’t had a successful acting career, but still, she had ten years of experience in the business. “I may not know the dizzying highs, but I know what a bad day feels like. And I believe it’s more important to be there for someone on their bad days than on their good days.”
Speaking about Rajeev Masand, she noted, “Over the years, he has been able to give so much knowledge to the business and be authoritative that actors automatically take his advice or suggestions as a sign of a word.”
Kim emphasised the role of intuition in casting and knowing that they are right for the role, “I place instinct at the top when it comes to decision-making. That feeling of just looking at something, and that only happens when you are completely drenched with the character when you know them inside out, and you know they can do this and this can work.”
By giving the example of Bollywood actress Triptii Dimri in the 2023 film, ‘Animal’, she said, “Would you traditionally cast a mainstream heroine in such a small role? Probably not. But that’s where instinct comes in. Karan and Rajeev took that call, and just look at what it’s done for her.”
Also Read: The Filmy Hustle Exclusive: Kim Sharma considers influencers better than actors, here’s why