The problem of women getting exploited prevails not only in Bollywood but in other workplaces as well. It is just a way to favour exchange i.e. getting some role in a movie or advertisement by providing the concerned person with sexual favours.
However, the casting couch becomes a matter of concern when a woman is subjected to some favours against her wish. Forcing anyone for anything itself is a crime. Casting couch is not only limited to women but also to male actors.
Several high-profile actors and actresses have time and again opened up on their casting couch experience. Popular Television actress Sonal Vengurlekar also joined the bandwagon and shared some shocking details about her casting couch experience.
Sharing a dreadful experience from her early days in the industry, Sonal revealed the casting couch experience at a very young age left a traumatic impact on her. The actress revealed that she was only 19 years old when she started giving auditions.
At that time, she got an opportunity to audition for a role at Raja Bajaj’s office, who was a famous photographer and casting director. Sonal revealed that she gave the audition but couldn’t deliver the dialogue properly as she was not a professional and trained actor. After that, the casting director asked her to assist him with a shoot to get a better understanding of the profession.
Sonal revealed she was asked to try on some outfits despite her not being part of the shoot. Leaving her shell-shocked, some cream was forcibly applied to her breasts.
“He had a bottle of cream and told me to apply it to my breasts before wearing the outfit as that would help in giving them proper shape. Much to my horror, he came forward and applied the cream to my breasts forcibly,” News18 quoted Sonal.
Later, that night, he forcibly entered her room and told her that he would teach her tantra vidya that would make her a superstar. All she had to do was go naked and chant a mantra with him. Later, the casting director even tried to force himself on her, but Sonal managed to run away into another room.
After the incident, Sonal had even lodged a police complaint against Raja Bajaj. Meanwhile, Raja Bajaj could not be contacted over the allegations levelled by the actress.