Ajit Joshi for Mumbai Mirror

Balaji asks artistes to send in horoscopes and hires them only after astrologers confirm their kundali matches with that of Ekta

Mumbai, Oct 2: Mumbai's biggest soap factory, Balaji Telefilms, hires artistes not on the basis of their talent or resume but on the basis of whether their kundali (horoscope) matches that of Balaji and its head honcho, Ekta Kapoor.

For the last three months, actors, directors, writers and camerapersons for all of Balaji's new projects have been hired only after a team of specially appointed astrologers has carefully checked their horoscopes and confirmed that their stars compare favourably with Balaji's and Ekta's, sources said. The same principle is being applied for fresh recruitment or replacements for existing Balaji projects too, sources said.

All aspirants who appear for screen tests or interviews are asked to send in their kundalis for a check, sources said. Those who don't have any are told to send in their birth date and time. Once these are obtained, the astrologers prepare a horoscope on a computer and make the necessary calculations to arrive at a 'final decision.'

In case the kundali does not match, little concession is made for bio-data or ability. Among those "not selected" on this basis recently was actor Manoje Biddvai, till recently seen in Kyunki.

Biddvai said that a few weeks ago, he gave a screen test for a role in the serial Karam Apna Apna and was even told he would play the lead. "However, at 11.30 one night, a Balaji official called up and asked me to give him my birth date and time of birth. I found the question weird but preferred not to question him and gave him the details," he said.

The next day, Biddvai  said, he was told he wasn't found suitable for the lead role. "Not just that, a couple of weeks later, I was told I had been replaced in Kyunki… too. The reason apparently was that I was too good-looking to play villain. This, after I had been playing the role for a while. I don't know if there is a direct relation between the horoscope and my sacking, but yes, all this did happen after I was asked for my horoscope," he pointed out.

Another actor who did not wish to be named said: "Someone from Balaji called me up recently to ask for my horoscope. When I said I didn't have one, he asked me for my date of birth and time." One of Balaji's writers who has penned many of its successful serials too confirmed, on condition of anonymity, that he had got calls asking for his kundali.

Sources said that Ekta, well known for her reliance on astrology and numerology, had come to depend even more on the 'stars' after some of her shows struggled on the TRP ratings.

Three shows -- Kavyanjali, Hum Paanch and Kandy Floss -- have been taken off air in the last couple of months, two recently-launched soaps -- Karam Aapna Aapna and Thodi Si Zameen Thoda Sa Aasmaan -- are yet to pick up, and serials like Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai, Kya Hogga Nimmo Ka, K Street Pali Hill and Kahih To Hogga are not doing well either by Ekta's standards.

Balaji creative director Sandeep Sikand's recent shift to Sony as head of programming has also been seen as a setback, sources said.

• I was asked to send in my date of birth and time. I sent it. The next day, I was told I wasn’t found suitable for the role — Actor Manoje Biddvai