6 Secrets of Bollywood Auditions to Get Dream Role

I have seen many good actors from my coaching or from other acting schools failing at Bollywood film auditions. In case of my such students, I called them for one on one session and critically analyzed causes and remedies. This was very important as repeated failures at auditions, inspite of being a good actor was demoralizing and was suicidal to their career.
The reasons I found were ranging from nervousness to lack of confidence to inability to understand the character to the technical part of audition etc. etc...
Consequent to my analysis, I had to develop a strategy because good actors failing in auditions was unacceptable!
Based on my experience, on suggestions by friend casting directors and reading literature available on some good acting sites, I devised a solution-
Here are top 6 sure shot techniques which with practice will see you through in auditions and bag the roles you are aspiring.

1. Your confidence while walking into an audition room

If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will. The audition starts the moment you walk into the room, so find a way to be relaxed, and project unshakeable confidence. If you don’t have it, fake it. This is all about body language and eye contact, so walk into the room with your head up, shoulders back, with total focus and relaxation. It’s the kind of confidence that makes people trust you, and allows them to feel they can put you on set tomorrow and you will be fine and not waste their time. You are prepared, know your job in the scene, your lines, and believe in the circumstances. Even if you are scared inside, you have to “act” like a confident person. (You are an actor, right?)
The confidence gives you a particular charisma. This is what makes good auditions stand out. It’s your essence, your personality, your authentic self. It’s what you have that nobody else can offer, even when everyone is reading and playing the same exact script. It’s the magic that you bring to the lines that make them interesting, unique, and different, with your own stamp on it.

2. The character (role) you have to play at the audition

Don’t worry about what they are looking for. It’s your job to show them your unique interpretation of who this character is. Your character has a point of view in the scene. What is it? Think of three adjectives to describe this person and write these at the top of the script (annoyed, frustrated, in love, etc.). If there is a chair in the room, how do they sit in this chair? What is the character’s body language? How do they speak? The clearer you are on the character, the more your nerves dissolve, and you can disappear into this person’s world.

3. Create a conflict

The bottom line of every good scene is conflict, even if it’s from within. What is at stake in the scene? What are the characters fighting for? What are the circumstances around this scene? Find out what that is, and then put that high voltage energy into how the "character", you intend playing for the audition deals with it. If you are very clear on the conflict in a scene, the objective of a scene and the objective of the character, it will create and dictate the rhythm, inflection, and tone of each line, and avoid the trap of playing the “mediocre.”

4. Concentration is the key

Close your eyes for a moment and take a long breath before you begin the scene. Quiet your mind and concentrate on the moment before. This involves total emotional and physical commitment, to the character, to the words, the thoughts, and being totally prepared. It’s not enough to just know the lines, you have to "live" them, and understand what’s behind the lines. If you are worried about what people are thinking, or your next line, then you are not fully in the scene. You have to be true to the emotions, and personalize them, so that your eyes, voice, and body are reflecting those feelings.

5. Connect yourself with your co-star even though there is nobody

Many a times you are delivering your lines to someone, but there is no that "someone" in front of you. If there are dialogs of your co star in a scene, it may be spoken by an assistant sitting next to or behind the camera or in another case, it may be just your lines only.
What do you do in both of these situations?
A. When a script has more than one character and a reader is reading the lines of the other character. Look at the reader. Have a strong eye contact (unless specified by the casting director where to look). Think of who is that person? How do you feel about that other character? What is that relationship like? It’s important to listen in a very active way, as if you hear the words for the first time. It should feel like a real, not a scene for an acting class. You have to absorb the lines and respond from moment to moment. It should feel like you are the only two people in the room.
B. When it's a monologue. Although it is not a conversation with others, remember that you always address your monologue to someone or to a group. Therefore, always ask this question to yourself "To whom am I addressing my lines?". Ask the casting director where to look and deliver your lines exactly the same way as it is in "A" 

6. Have total clarity 

Be clear with your choices about how to deliver your lines. There is always more than one way to say a line. Just pick one. This doesn’t mean make bold, crazy, irrational choices, it just means make a decision with each line based on what your character wants. Don’t be safe, and don’t just run fast over the important moments. If you are lucky and get your lines in advance, Do the work at home, but then be open to direction and flexible in the audition room.
Based on source for the benefit of aspiring actors