‘I was asked to sleep with…’ – Ankita Lokhande recalls horrific casting couch experience

In an interview with Hauterrfly, popular TV show actress Ankita Lokhande talked about her casting couch experience. While she now has been in the industry for quite some time, there was once a time she was one of the struggling artists.

Without revealing the name, she recalls that it occurred when she was just 19 and looking to make a name for herself. She revealed that after an audition for a south film, she received a call asking her to come sign up for the role.

At first, Ankita was very happy to hear the news and even told her mother that she was going to get the role. However, she also wondered how she was able to get the role so easily.

“When I reached there, my coordinator was told to remain outside, and she was called inside the room alone. I was told that I have to compromise,” she said.

At the time, Ankita revealed she was in the phase of “heroine banna hai (I want to become an actress)”. When asked what kind of compromise? She was told to sleep with the producer to get the role. “The reply came straight cut, ‘Apko producer ke sath sona padega’,” she said.

Strong will and self-respect

Finally getting to know why she was called for the role so quickly, Ankita responded to the offer. She said, “I don’t think your producer needs talent; he just needs a girl to sleep with, and I am not that one, and I just walked off.”

Later on, Ankita rose to fame after getting a role in a popular Indian television series in 2009 called ‘Pavitra Rishta’. The show also featured Sushant Singh Rajput and became an instant hit, running for years before coming to a close.

The show further helped in exposing her talent to the country, opening many more opportunities. She also appeared in many more TV series and reality shows like Bigg Boss S17. She is set to make an appearance in an upcoming film called ‘Swatantra Veer Savarkar’.