Fatima Sana Shaikh Shares Experience Of Facing Casting Couch In South: 'I Played Dumb Because...'

Fatima Sana Shaikh has revealed the dark reality of the casting couch that she faced during the initial years of her career.

Fatima Sana Shaikh rose to fame with her standout performance in Aamir Khan's 'Dangal'.

Source : Instagram/@fatimasanashaikh

New Delhi: Actress Fatima Sana Shaikh, who became famous for her role in Aamir Khan’s ‘Dangal’, recently talked about the struggles she had during her initial years in the industry, including some unsettling casting couch experiences. In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, the actress exposed the darker side of Mumbai and South Indian film industries.

Fatima Sana Shaikh recalled a disturbing audition in the South when a casting agent had made sexually provocative remarks. "He asked me, 'You will be ready to do everything, right?' I told him that I will be working hard and will do what is required for the role, but he kept saying that, and I played dumb because I wanted to see how low can he get," Fatima said.

Another eye-opening story was Fatima's recollection of her stay in Hyderabad when she auditioned for South Indian films in the hopes of landing a part that would introduce her to Bollywood. She shared, “We were in a room, and the producers would talk about it very openly, giving indications that you have to meet people. They wouldn’t say it outright, but it was clear what they meant. However, not everyone is like that.”

Exploitation in Mumbai

Fatima also shared how unethical casting directors in Mumbai would routinely demand a cut of the performers' salaries. She shared, “Even if we were at the audition through word-of-mouth, the casting director would ask us to write down our reference. That means you have to give 15 percent of your payment to them, despite not knowing them at all.”

Furthermore, Fatima made it clear that not all casting directors are dishonest. She added, “Known casting directors won’t do that; only fraud people would. Of course Mukesh Chhabra and Anmol Ahuja don’t do that. But there are shady individuals who take advantage of young, struggling actors who are new to the city and don’t know much.”

Fatima will next be featured in ‘Metro In Dino’, directed by Anurag Basu.