Casting couch is something which has been happening behind the scenes and it is not at all a new concept rather it is as old as our civilization. People started noticing it very recently. Several actresses have been a victim of harassment in the Film Industry as well.
The casting couch is a practice of asking for sexual favours from a job applicant in exchange for a job in the entertainment industry, especially acting roles. The casting couch originally referred to physical couches in the casting office. This practice is termed illegal in the United States.
Male casting directors, as well as, film producers use the casting couch in a bid to extract sex from ambitious actresses in Hollywood, Bollywood and other segments of the cinema industry.
Time and again actresses have spoken up against the casting couch and harassment. Previously, #MeToo movement hit the headlines which exposed some popular names from several professional fields across the country.
Shama Sikander recalls casting couch experience
Meanwhile, actress Shama Sikander has recalled casting couch experience in an interview with BollywoodLife.com. “The industry has changed so much and for good. Today, young producers are far more professional and treat people respectfully. They do not have the notion of sex for work. In the past, I have had producers tell me that they wanted to be friends with me.
“I was like, how can we be friends if we do not work together? I feel the whole concept of asking for sex in return for work is the lowest of low. I mean, you have to be a terribly insecure human being to do that.
“Some of these producers and makers were well-established names in the industry. It shows that you do not have an iota of confidence that you can win over a woman’s heart in an organic manner. But casting couch is not limited to Bollywood alone. It happens everywhere,” Shama told Bollywoodlife.com.
“It is wrong to blame Bollywood for it. It gets spoken about more as this is a profession that is under the limelight. I feel that evil exists in every person, which is why some people think they can degrade others in this way. One needs to address that devil that resides in your mind,” she added.