Actress and director Roopa Iyer, currently working on her first Hindi film inspired by freedom fighter Neera Arya, reveals her challenging journey through casting and directing a male-dominated team on this project. Despite facing obstacles due to her gender, Roopa found the experience to be a valuable learning opportunity. The narrative of Neera's bravery and sacrifices resonated with Roopa, leading her to craft a compelling story that blends historical facts with fiction. Casting proved to be a significant challenge, with many actors initially unresponsive to her inquiries. The assistance of a journalist in Mumbai was pivotal in assembling the cast, with particular difficulty in finding the right actor for the role of Neera's husband.He is portraying a villainous character, and I am pleased to have Priyanshu Chatterjee in this role. After auditioning many actors for Netaji’s character, we ultimately selected Shreyas Talpade, as I believe he resembles Netaji. Suresh Oberoi takes on the role of Neera’s father. "Had to make this film in Hindi" This patriotic film holds national relevance and tells the inspiring story of a woman who overcame challenges. This story is essential for everyone to hear, which is why I opted to make it in Hindi. While I am proficient in Hindi grammar due to studying it extensively, lack of daily usage sometimes leads to hesitation in finding the right words to express oneself. "It’s disheartening to see a lack of professionalism in various departments of the Kannada film industry." Despite the success of Kannada films at a national level, it is unfortunate that certain departments within the industry lack professionalism. Many artists and technicians, such as makeup artists, costume designers, art directors, and lighting technicians, are untrained and rely on learning on the job, resulting in wasted time and increased production costs. The film chamber and department heads must ensure that individuals sent to work on sets are adequately trained for their roles. Just as a police officer needs formal training before being deployed, individuals in the film industry should also be skilled in their respective fields. Unfortunately, nepotism often sees unqualified individuals receiving jobs simply based on connections, leading to inefficiencies and inflated costs on sets. In the era of advanced technology, filmmaking costs should be decreasing, but the prevalence of untrained individuals hinders progress and future growth within the industry."Our progress is being hindered by the workers' lackadaisical approach to their work. As a director, my role is to provide support to all members of our film industry. However, when they fail to appreciate the importance of their responsibilities, it creates a challenging and disheartening situation."