The existence of the casting couch in the film industry is a well-known reality, and many top actors and technicians have acknowledged its presence. While most of the victims are women, there have been rare cases where male actors have also opened up about their experiences.
Ravi Kishan, a popular Bhojpuri actor and MP from Gorakhpur, recently shocked everyone with his revelation about facing the casting couch. He is well-known to the Telugu audience for his villainous role in Allu Arjun’s Race Gurram.
When asked about the casting couch in the entertainment industry, Ravi Kishan admitted that he had barely managed to escape from an incident himself. He acknowledged that such incidents are common in the industry but added that he managed to avoid it by approaching his work with honesty and relying on his talent.
However, when pressed to reveal the perpetrator’s name, Ravi Kishan declined to do so, mentioning that she has now become a big shot in the industry. He revealed that the woman had asked him to come over for a cup of coffee, but he got the hint and refused to go. Without naming anyone, Ravi Kishan’s revelation has sparked speculation on social media about the identity of the ‘big shot woman’ in Indian cinema.
In a separate incident, Bollywood star actor Ranveer Singh also shared his experience of facing intimidation from a male ‘big shot’ who asked him to be ‘smart’ and ‘sexy’. These revelations from male actors’ highlight that the casting couch issue is not just limited to women in the industry and needs to be addressed by the film fraternity as a whole.