Mukesh Chhabra Celebrates First Oscar for Casting as Cassandra Kulukundis Wins at 98th Academy Awards

“I’ve been manifesting this moment for years”: Mukesh Chhabra Celebrates the Recognition of Casting Directors as Cassandra Kulukundis Wins Best Casting Award at the 98th Academy Awards

Casting director Mukesh Chhabra celebrated the global recognition of Cassandra Kulukundis winning the first-ever Academy Award for Best Casting at the 98th Academy Awards for One Battle After Another. Chhabra took to X and penned a wholesome note that not only emphasised the global recognition received by the casting director, but also expressed hopefulness that people value casting and offer it the position it deserves in India as well.

“I’m honestly so, so happy. I can’t even explain how happy I feel. I’ve been manifesting this moment for years. Seeing the Academy Awards finally recognize the importance of casting directors means so much to me. Cassandra Kulukundis winning the first-ever Academy Award for Best Casting at the 98th Academy Awards One Battle After Another, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is truly a historic moment for all of us in casting,” he wrote.

“I really hope this opens people’s eyes to the value of casting and gives this profession the respect it deserves in our country as well. I hope that in India too, people begin to understand and respect the work of casting directors the way it is respected in Hollywood. It’s high time we all come together and celebrate this moment,” he added.

Over the years, Mukesh Chhabra has earned a reputation for bringing precision in casting, be it in the latest hit, Dhurandhar or Jawan, Dangal, Scam 1992, Dunki and more! And going by the string of hits delivered, Mukesh Chhabra has created a league of his own, which truly seems a bit difficult to recreate in recent times!