Bollywood casting couch sting: Complaint filed against agent

Vijay Rawal

Five days after mid-day published a sting operation report on casting coordinator Vijay Rawal (among others), a woman member of the Cine and Television Artistes Association (CINTAA) has filed a complaint with the association.

Vijay Rawal. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Citing a year-old incident, she said that Rawal had offered her work in a TV serial. "I shot for a day but didn't quite like the work environment. When I told him I felt suffocated, he asked me not to walk out of the show as he had promised the director that I was willing to compromise. I turned around and asked him how could he do that without asking me. The result? I wasn't called for shooting the next day.''

mid-day's sting operation on Bollywood's casting couch appeared in the issue dated February 27

CINTAA has already written to film producers requesting them not to entertain such casting coordinators.

General secretary of the association, Dhamesh Tiwari said, "Following this complaint, we are sending out letters to producers, asking them to ban Vijay Rawal from working in the industry. If she (the woman member) agrees to lodge a police complaint, the association will back her and ensure that Rawal is thrown out of the industry."

A senior producer echoed the call for a ban on Rawal, alleging that he was part of a sex racket and exploited aspiring actresses from smaller towns.

"I have barred him from entering my office but I know of at least two aspiring actresses who have been exploited by this man. A young girl from Gujarat once met Rawal and he taught her how to lure a producer instead of helping her get work in films. He exploits young girls as well as married women. He should be banned from this industry," said the producer.