New Delhi: Talented B-Town actress Swara Bhaskar is known for speaking her mind out and about. The ongoing controversy surrounding Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein's sexual harassment cases, Swara in an interview with Mumbai Mirror opened up about her own dark ordeal with the casting couch.
When asked whether she too faced a similar situation at work place, Swara told the leading daily, “Of course. I've been propositioned by men who were in a position to cast me. I lost a few roles because I didn't give in. It made me vulnerable, nervous. Some people even stopped responding to my messages because they knew I would not give in. Being an articulate, educated girl they sensed that I would not take things lying down.
There have been catcalls during shoots and eve-teasing on one of my sets. I've been groped by a mob during promotions and during a 56-day outdoor at a remote location, when I was still fairly new, the director harassed me with texts and dinner invites. He stalked me during the day and called me through the night. I was asked to go to his hotel room on the pretext of discussing the scene and would find him drinking. During the first week itself, he started talking about love and sex and one night, arrived in my room, drunk, and asked to be hugged. It was scary!
I was young and alone. I would switch off the lights after pack-up and remove my make up in the dark so he would think I was asleep and stop calling me.”
She revealed the harassment stopped once she made herself clear and told the person concerned that he is making her uncomfortable. “Yeah, after I told him that he was scaring me and making me uncomfortable. I told him I wouldn't be able to act if this continued. He acted hurt and said I had misunderstood him. He stayed away for two weeks, then he was back to his tricks. I finally confided in the executive producer and made sure that I was escorted everywhere.”, she added.
Her advice to all in dealing with the harrowing situation is “Lose the part but don't get on the couch. It's not a feminist choice and it's certainly not a liberating choice. It's like giving a bribe and that is succumbing to a wrong.”
