Aishwarya Rajesh is one of the popular actresses in the South Indian film industry. She has worked predominantly in Tamil films, Telugu and Malayalam movies. The 33-year-old actress is a recipient of 4 SIIMA Awards, 1 Filmfare Award South and 1 Tamil Nadu State Film Award.
She kick-started her career as TV presenter in a comedy show by the name of Asatha Povathu Yaaru? on Sun TV. After clinching the reality show Maanada Mayilada, she was cast in the movie Avargalum Ivargalum (2011) and shot to prominence after featuring in Attakathi (2012).
Meanwhile, the popular actress herself has opened up on the casting couch. In an interview, she said that people will hide the offers of casting couch with terms such as adjustment, contract, agreement and so on.
‘Earlier, it was too much. To get into a film, people would say, ‘Just go for half an hour and come,’ she added in an interview.
Several actresses in the Indian film industry have been a victim of sexual harassment. Time and again, the actresses have spoken up against casting couch and harassment. Previously, #MeToo movement hit the headlines which exposed some popular names from several professional fields across the country.
With feminism and women empowerment becoming the most-talked subjects, actresses have become more open about prevalent issues. With the MeToo movement encouraging several women to share their ordeal of sexual abuse at the workplace, the film industry is also no exception.
Casting couch is something that 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 sexual favours from a job applicant in exchange for a job in the entertainment industry, especially acting roles. 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.