New Delhi: Actress Shama Sikander, who has been away from the screen, has opened up about the casting couch, her experience, and how the industry has changed over the years for good. In a recent interview, she said a few producers and makers wanted to be ‘friends’ with her.
In a conversation with BollywoodLife.com, Shama narrated her casting couch experience in Bollywood. “The industry has changed so much and for good. Today, young producers are far more professional and treat people respectfully. They do not have the notion of sex for work. In the past, I have had producers tell me that they wanted to be friends with me. I was like, how can we be friends if we do not work together? I feel the whole concept of asking for sex in return for work is the lowest of low. I mean, you have to be a terribly insecure human being to do that. Some of these producers and makers were well-established names in the industry. It shows that you do not have an iota of confidence that you can win over a woman's heart in an organic manner. But casting couch is not limited to Bollywood alone. It happens everywhere,” Shama told Bollywoodlife.com.
She also added that it is not ok to blame everyone and she has met very good men in Bollywood. "It is wrong to blame Bollywood for it. It gets spoken about more as this is a profession that is under the limelight. I feel that evil exists in every person, which is why some people think they can degrade others in this way. One needs to address that devil that resides in your mind," she added.
Shama, who got married to her boyfriend James Milliron a few months back, is gearing up for a comeback. In the past she has done television shows like ‘Yeh Meri Life Hai’, ‘CID’ among others. She was also seen in the web series ‘Maaya’ directed by Vikram Bhatt.