Bollywood actress Isha Koppikar recently opened up about her harrowing experiences with the casting couch during the early days of her career. In a heartfelt conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Koppikar, known for her roles in item numbers, shed light on the struggles she faced in an industry where the power to decide roles often lay in the hands of prominent actors.
Koppikar shared that maintaining strong values and integrity made it particularly challenging to navigate the industry. Reflecting on the pressures to conform, she observed that many actresses either succumbed to these pressures or chose to leave the industry altogether. Despite these adversities, Koppikar takes pride in the fact that she, along with a few others, has continued to stay in the industry without compromising her principles.
One of the more traumatic recollections she shared dates back to when she was just 18 years old. Koppikar recounted an incident where a secretary and an actor suggested that getting work required being ‘friendly’ with influential actors. This suggestion left her bewildered, as she was unsure what ‘friendly’ entailed in their context, given her naturally amicable nature. She humorously recalled a piece of advice from Ekta Kapoor, who once told her to adopt more attitude in her interactions.
Koppikar also described a troubling encounter at the age of 23 with an A-list actor who invited her to meet him alone, without her driver or any accompaniment. Despite his attempts to downplay rumors about his past relationships with actresses, Koppikar stood firm and refused to meet him alone.
In addition to these experiences, Koppikar recounted inappropriate behavior from the secretaries of actors and directors. She described instances where they would touch her inappropriately, squeezing her arm while making suggestive remarks. Koppikar characterized their actions as sleazy and indicative of the pervasive culture of exploitation within the industry.
Despite these unsettling experiences, Isha Koppikar has persevered and continues to maintain her dignity and presence in the film industry.
