Isha Koppikar recollects a shocking incident of casting couch

Picture Courtesy: Official Instagram Account/Isha Koppikar

Isha Koppikar shot to instant fame with the Khallas song from Ram Gopal Varma's Company in 2002. She went on to do films like Hum Tum, Girlfriend and Kya Kool Hai Hum. She's now gearing up for her return to the world of acting with Alt Balaji's web-series, Fixer, where she plays a Police Officer. As the title suggests, the story is likely to have multiple twists and turns to keep the viewers hooked.

However, the actress didn't appear in as many films as we expected she would. In a no-holds-barred interview with Pinkvilla, she spoke how she was ousted from films and replaced with star daughters. She confessed to having been hit by the wave of Nepotism in the industry. Another startling and chilling confession came in the form of almost experiencing casting couch, a menace that has engulfed many aspiring actors in Bollywood before.

Talking about it, the actress said, "Yes, I have been propositioned. One producer told me, 'This film is happening. Call up this actor; you need to be in the good books of actors. So I called him. He's told me his full timetable. He's an early morning person and he goes to the gym at this time. He asked me to meet him in between his dubbing and something he was doing. He asked me who I was coming with and I told him I will be coming with my driver. He said, 'Don't come with anybody'. I was not 15 or 16 then. I knew what was happening. So I told him, 'I am not free tomorrow, I'll let you know'."

She added, "I immediately called up the producer and told him that he should cast me for my talent. But then, I can't be forced into doing all these things for a role. That is what is intimidating for a lot of people. When a woman says no, they can't take it. And temporarily, you're written off. I never ended up working with that actor." She further added, "Some top secretaries have inappropriately touched me. I started self-defense because of that."

Given she's finally coming back to entertain us, all we would like to say is that hope she works twice as much as she did before!

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