Surveen Chawla has had her share of "casting couch" horror stories.
Thanks to PinkVilla for the footage!
Thanks to PinkVilla for the footage!
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Short filmTranscript
00:00Overweight.
00:01Every inch of your body.
00:03Ridiculously big director.
00:05This s*** happens. It's real.
00:30One filmmaker wanted to see how my cleavage looks.
00:54And one filmmaker wanted to see how my thighs look.
00:57It happens. This s*** happens. It's real.
01:01It happens.
01:02Have they also been named in the Me Too?
01:04Yeah.
01:05Then came the South. That was my biggest blow.
01:08Because there were three times when I had to face the casting couch down South.
01:13I was asked to accompany a director for a recce.
01:16For a film recce.
01:18And somehow, you know, my sixth sense or my gut, I kind of trust it.
01:23And I kind of fall back upon it when I'm confused or when I don't know what's going on.
01:27And I was asked to come for a recce with him.
01:29I have no qualms in saying what I was told.
01:33Ma'am, I want to know...
01:36We have language problem.
01:38I want to know every inch of your body.
01:41What?
01:43Yeah. This is what I was told.
01:45I was told that and I couldn't believe my ears as to what I'm hearing.
01:50Then there was another experience where because of the language issue...
01:54So this, again, like a ridiculously big director.
01:59A national award winning director.
02:01I'm saying this on camera today.
02:04A national award winning director comes up and tells me...
02:07So I had a very very long, extensively long audition there.
02:11It was almost a shift audition.
02:137am to 7pm audition.
02:16Various kinds of things I had to do.
02:18Like a monologue or just say something impromptu.
02:21I did all that. I came back.
02:23I was a little unwell.
02:24And the director suddenly offers to come to Bombay to see me because I'm unwell.
02:28And I found it very shady.
02:30I was like, why?
02:32I have friends. I can take care of myself. Thank you so much.
02:35But no thank you.
02:37The director could only speak in Tamil.
02:41Could not speak or understand Hindi.
02:43Could not speak or understand English.
02:45So there was such a language barrier.
02:47He had somebody like his right hand or I don't know who.
02:50His friend speaking to me on behalf of him.
02:53Knowingly, obviously.
02:55That sir is saying this.
02:57He didn't pose to be the director.
02:59So he said, you know ma.
03:02There's such a language barrier.
03:05He needs to know you.
03:08He needs to understand you. He has to work with you.
03:10This film is going to take very long to make.
03:13And you know it's going to be a long term association.
03:16And then he suddenly jumped to, just till the film.
03:21And I said, sorry sir.
03:23So I, obviously I was clueless.
03:26So I very innocently asked.
03:27Sir, just till the film what? This is over the phone.
03:30No ma, you, he needs to know you.
03:34So just till the film, this will go on.
03:36And then you can stop once work is over.
03:39I still remember my words.
03:41I think you're knocking on the wrong door.
03:43If sir thinks I'm talented enough to work in his film.
03:46I'm still willing to do that.
03:48But I don't think I can barter myself for anything.