‘Casting-couch’ undoubtedly is the most used term when it comes to the hush-hush talks of the glamour world.
Nevertheless, the only image that comes to your mind in relation to a casting couch is always a role-seeking actor being molested for an offer in the movie or a TV series.
But is that the truth? Or should I say, is that the ‘entire’ truth?
The film industry is crawling with producers and actors alike. And it’s not the case that all the producers and film-makers are big-time perverts. Just like there are big fishes in the sea who feed on the smaller ones, the sea also has wicked baits that lure the big fishes in.
We usually hear about struggling actors compromising their dignity to get a role in movies. Some of them remain hidden behind the curtain, while others come out openly to talk about their devastating casting couch experiences.
This is a very common phenomenon in glam world where victims keep accusing directors and producers of using them to open the gates of industry for these struggling actors.
But that is just one part of the story in which usually the person at the higher position gets all the blame just because he has a lot to offer in return.
Now, let me tell you the tale from the so-called culprit’s mouth.
So, these ‘struggling actors’ approach directors to befriend them by starting out with casual meetings which later turn into closer connection involving sexual relationships.
And when such people(directors) lose connection after a certain point of time with struggling actors, these people suddenly become the victim. And even if they are offered a role, because of the intimacy they shared, they still remain a victim.
And when the connection gets little disturbed between the two, these struggling actors use that as a medium to gain popularity by earning sympathy of the public.
Following the same pattern to bring out the so-called true faces of producers, a campaign called #metoo is running from more than a year in order to bring out the victims of casting couch.
Why this discrimination though?
Don’t you think that it’s equally wrong on the part of actors who approach producers with wrong intentions? The thing is no one tells you those stories, the only stories you hear is from the actor’s side.
No one really has tried to figure out as to how some actor’s bag the biggest roles, and how some are still struggling to make it to the big screen.
On this matter, ‘Ekta Kapoor‘ gave her views and comments on the #metoo campaign.
According to her, she knows the different side of the story as well. There have been several cases when actors lay traps for the directors and producers.
She also mentioned stories, wherein actresses first approach the producers for a causal relationship. And after a couple of days, she starts asking for work. If he denies and says that he keeps his personal and professional lives apart, all hell breaks loose. Soon, it leads to a complaint of sexual assault against the producer.
As a matter of fact, a similar complaint was lodged against ‘Jitendra’. The complaint was for sexually assaulting a female back in the year of 1971, in a hotel room in Shimla. Though there hasn’t been any proof found and all the charges have been clearly denied by Jitendra altogether, it still raises a big question on the overall truth.
The point that raises question is why do these victims come out after taking their own pleasant time.
Nevertheless, Ekta did a good job and revealed a bitter side of the truth related to ‘casting-couch’.
This puts across the point that you never know what the entire truth is. And moreover, it raises the critical question as what to believe and what not to in terms of the stories you hear.
What do you think about casting couch stories? Let us know your views.
